


Until the End of Everything

by doctorkilljoy



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Timelines, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Canon-Typical Violence, Commission David “Dave” Katz, Consent Issues, Evil Twins, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Whump, M/M, Multiple Timelines, Not Beta Read, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Past Drug Addiction, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Season/Series 02 Spoilers, The Umbrella Academy (TV) Spoilers, Time Travel, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:41:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 101,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorkilljoy/pseuds/doctorkilljoy
Summary: Spoilers for Season TwoDave Katz was supposed to die in Vietnam. He'd never believed the man from the diner until a woman appeared on the battlefield, offering him a job. Now he's been working for the Commission for three years, making corrections to the timeline as outlined by his superiors. He's a little lonely, but at least he's still alive. And his job is surprisingly normal for something so weird. Until the Numbers show up and his life is turned upside down.Klaus Hargreeves has had it tough. First he loses the only man he's ever loved. Then he meets and loses him a second time. Oh and let's not forget the timeline changing so drastically that he and his siblings now have weird evil twins out for blood. Klaus is dragged along on Five's crazy mission to once again save the family and avert the apocalypse. While they are safe for the time being, Klaus certainly isn't happy.It's when Dave and Klaus see each other across a crowded lunchroom that the pieces begin to fall into place. With dangerous enemies, ghosts, and another world ending event on the line, the strain is palpable. Add in a meddlesome family and the dying flame of a relationship that no longer exists, and anything could happen.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 308
Kudos: 411





	1. hand in mine, into your icy blues

**Author's Note:**

> And I'm back. I had a lot of feelings after watching the second season and I decided I'm going to write my way through it because that's how I deal with things. I do have this entire fic plotted out however I don't have the whole fic written so I'm not going to be on a consistent posting schedule. I should also mention I don't know a damn thing about the Sparrow Academy because they've only just been introduced in the comics and we have no idea who or what they are. So I decided that the Sparrow Academy are like the Mirrorverse versions of the Umbrella Academy. 
> 
> This fic is going to be switching POVs between Dave and Klaus, and we'll hear from both in each chapter. I should also mention to please keep an eye on the tags as they are going to change. But I want to assure you, no matter what happens, there is going to be a happy ending. 
> 
> Title is taken from _Demolition Lovers_ by My Chemical Romance. Because that's what I was listening to on a loop while I was writing.

Dave collapsed on his cot, trembling. It was February 21st, 1968, and the day had gone off without a hitch. He'd been nervous and irritable all day, to the point that his CO told him to go cool off when he'd snapped at one of his fellow Marines. He'd been on edge and he wasn't sure what to do if anything. The cult guy had said today was the day he died, but it was just another day. Nothing unusual at all.

He'd kept an eye out for the cult guy, but hadn't seen him around. Dave sighed. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous, this was proof. Proof that the cult guy had been a con artist just like he'd suspected. Hell Dave couldn't even remember his name anymore, in his head he called him "cult guy" or sometimes "the Prophet" which clearly, the man wasn't. 

Dave had his grandfather's pocket watch out, and was watching the minutes tick by. Soon it would be midnight, and he could breathe a little easier. His father gave it to him when he shipped out, and Dave always kept it wound. He would sooner cut his hand off than give it up. And now it was the only thing keeping him sane. 

It was a quarter to twelve when the shots rang out.

Dave didn't think, he shoved the watch in his pocket and ran out with his gun in hand and his helmet on. His stomach dropped into his feet as he realized where they were going. Hill 689, and the sergeant was screaming, "Men take your positions and hold this line!" 

Maybe the cult guy was on to something. But he couldn't let himself think that not when enemy fire was coming in. His squadmates could die because of him if he didn't focus! Dave got to work. 

And after a long and bloody night, one that Dave couldn't really remember, the sun burst over the horizon and Dave realized it was February 22nd. He was alive, though some of his friends no longer were. 

"He was a fraud," he said, though a scarily accurate one. Dave was indeed in the A Shau Valley, and he'd held Hill 689. Maybe the guy had been wrong, maybe he'd gotten Dave mixed up with someone else. Or more likely the entire thing was a coincidence and the cult guy had made a couple of lucky guesses. 

When his surroundings suddenly got brighter, however, his heart leaped into his throat. Dave looked over at the sergeant, who was suddenly frozen in the middle of giving orders. He walked closer to camp, seeing a few guys injured, one in the middle of shaving, and that was when Dave figured it out. Time was frozen. He gripped his watch in his pocket

"What the hell is going on?" 

"David Katz?" 

He turned around and saw a pretty, young black woman in a blue dress, heels, and pillbox hat. She carried a heavy-looking briefcase, and she said, "Hi, I'm Dot. Do you mind if we talk for a few minutes?" 

"What's going on here?" He asked. 

"I promise I'll explain. Would you mind terribly if we go to the canteen, however? I haven't had my coffee this morning and I'm absolutely beat," said Dot.

"Uh… Sure," Dave replied and led the way. He assumed this had to be a dream, there was no other explanation. It couldn't hurt to play along. Much like the rest of the camp, everyone in the canteen was frozen. The chow line was pretty long, but Dave located a couple of unattended coffee cups and handed one to Dot. "We don't have any cream or sugar I'm afraid, we're lucky we even have coffee this far out."

"That's all right," she replied. "Shall we?" She gestured to one of the tables and took a seat. 

Dave sat across from her and said, "This is the weirdest dream I've had in a while." 

"It's not a dream. We've temporarily suspended the flow of time so we can speak with you," Dot replied. She sipped her coffee and shuddered. "Oh, that's terrible."

"Yeah but it'll keep you up," Dave replied.

Dot gave him a warm smile, then said, "You're not supposed to be here, Mr. Katz."

"I don't think any of us are, really," said Dave. "This isn't our war, we should never have gotten involved."

"That's not what I mean," Dot clarified. "I mean, you're not supposed to be alive right now. You were scheduled to die last night." 

He paused, his eyes widening. "Wait, are you with that guy?" 

She frowned. "What guy?"

"The cult guy. I met him the same week I enlisted, he said if I went to Vietnam I was going to die," he said.

Dot frowned and produced a notepad and pen from her purse. "When and where did you meet him?" 

"Dallas in November of 1963, why?" 

"Was that around the time that President Kennedy was assassinated?" 

Dave blinked. "Uh, actually yes. The same week."

"Hm, I'm going to guess you met one of the Hargreeveses then. They were there that week too and they're not precisely concerned with preserving the time stream." She wrote something down then closed the notebook. "That's neither here nor there. The point is, you're not supposed to be here." 

"Are you here to kill me?" Dave asked. His heart was racing. She looked harmless, but a woman who could stop time in the middle of a war zone was clearly not someone to be trifled with. 

"No, just the opposite," she replied and was smiling again. "You see, we've had several issues with the time stream and unfortunately, we're too understaffed to correct them all. Your case came across my desk, and I think that you would be a perfect candidate for our Corrections department." 

"I don't understand."

"I know, but there isn't enough time to explain, the temporal freeze will wear off soon, so I'm going to make a very simple offer. We'd like you to come work for us. You would have a five-year contract, and once that expires you will be allowed to retire to the time period of your choice to live out the rest of your life. If you refuse, you will be eliminated," she said, her tone matter of fact. 

Dave drank his coffee, then asked, "Why not just kill me now?" 

"As I said, we're short staffed, otherwise we wouldn't make such an offer."

"What would I be doing?"

"Correcting the timeline."

"So you want me to kill people."

"The job would certainly entail that, yes." 

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Dave asked. "Let's say, I buy that this is all real and not some weird dream. You could be making this up to mess with me." 

Dot smiled again. "They told me that you're a suspicious one." She put her notebook away and stood, briefcase in hand. "I can show you if you come with me." 

He nearly refused. But he was too curious to say no, so when Dot offered her hand, he took it. She opened the briefcase, and there was a bright flash of blue light. When he could see again, they weren't in Vietnam, but in an office building. 

He saw people walking past them, looking at papers on clipboards, or carrying mugs of coffee. Dot took in his bewildered look and said, "Come with me." 

Dave followed her up the stairs as he took in his surroundings. Sure things were a bit dated, but it looked very much like a typical office. Dave felt self-conscious since he was still in mud-splattered fatigues, but no one paid him any mind. When they entered a room with a telephone switchboard, he asked, "What's this?" 

"It's how we're monitoring the time stream. Or I should say streams. Thanks to the Umbrella Academy there are several of them now," she said. She went to a man who was sitting in front of a small television and touched him on the shoulder. "Would you excuse us please, Kevin?"

"Of course," he said, and got up. He gave Dave a cheerful smile as he passed. 

Dot gestured to the chair. "Sit down, please."

Dave did as she asked, taking the other man's place in front of the monitor. Dot took a few plugs and pushed them into unlabeled holes. The picture on the screen changed and Dave gasped. There it was, Hill 689, and the screen said February 21st. But it wasn't just the soldiers Dave knew on the line, there was someone new there.

He realized it was the cult guy, who was crying over Dave. Dave who'd been wounded and was dying, blood gushing out of his mouth. Dave watched himself die, and his blood ran cold. 

"This was the original timeline," Dot said. "We would look to correct something like this right away, but as I said we're dealing with multiple time streams and we don't have enough people to help."

"And what happens if I live?" He asked. 

"Not much. Takes a bit longer for the wrap dress to be invented but other than that no major event changes," she said. 

The cult guy was still crying on the screen, and he looked so broken that Dave couldn't watch anymore. While seeing himself dead was no picnic, seeing the man in so much pain tore at Dave's heart. "Turn it off."

Dot did as he asked and sat next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to contend with. And maybe it's not fair to put this on you. But we need help."

"Why should I help you kill people? I'd be murdering folks like me!" 

She looked at him for a moment, then turned the monitor back on. She changed some plugs, and suddenly a different scene was playing out. Nuclear warheads being launched, and the world being wiped out. "This is why. This is a timeline that was created because one person decided they knew better than us. This happens in one possible version of 1963 and believe me, it's one of the nicer ones."

Dave stared at the mushroom cloud over what he knew to be Dallas. In the background, he could see the hardware store he worked at when he was a kid. Dave sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know."

"I can understand that you're conflicted," said Dot. "But wouldn't it be better if people had a chance to live? If the changes you saw starting in the 1960s came to fruition? The world does eventually get better, Mr. Katz. Humanity has a long way to go, don't you want to give it a chance to get there?"

He couldn't deny that he wanted exactly that. He wanted black people like Dot or Harrison from his unit to eat at whatever restaurant they wanted. He wanted to see women like his mother be able to get out from under a bad marriage and earn their own money. Most of all, he wanted to see men like himself be allowed to love other men openly and freely, without the threat of violence or death. 

"I'll do it," Dave said. 

Dot smiled, and she said, "Thank you, Mr. Katz." She offered him her hand. "Welcome aboard." 

He shook her hand. "Thanks, I think." 

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up and ready for orientation." 

Dave paused. "Wait, what about my unit? Won't they think I'm a deserter?" 

"I'll send someone to take care of it, we can have you listed as MIA for the time being. If you'd prefer to return to the same time you came from, it'll be easier for you to go back to your normal life." 

"Okay. Uh, thank you, ma'am." 

"Please, call me Dot."

"All right, Dot." 

She escorted him out of the room and down a staircase. "The Commission has been in operation for several decades. This building is in a universal pocket of time and can only be accessed via these special briefcases," she said, holding hers up. "This is how you will be traveling through time and space to complete missions. 

"Originally, we kept all agents in the field. However, it has been brought to our attention this does cause burn out and lower morale. So when there was a change in management it was determined we should add on to the Commission and offer housing for all employees."

"So I'm gonna be living here," he said.

"Correct," Dot replied. "Quarters are assigned based on seniority and ranking within the Commission. Since you will be a level one Corrector, you will be given a private suite. You also have a benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as a life insurance policy deeded to your selected next of kin. There is also a generous pension plan." 

Dave shook his head. "That's actually, uh… That sounds really good." 

"We take care of our employees, Mr. Katz," Dot told him. "The days of the union and the Commission fighting tooth and nail over paid time off are over. Now they work in tandem to make sure our budget can cover employees as well as fund our mission." 

"I'm guessing that has to do with your staffing shortage," he said.

"You would be correct. We hope to be back to full strength soon, but of course, that will take time. I would also like to mention that while residing in this dimension, your aging process has been brought to a halt. It only continues when you leave the grounds. We find it's easier that way," she said. 

He didn't know what to say to that so he kept his mouth shut. They were now moving down a long hallway with speckled linoleum floors and slate gray walls. She stopped in front of a pair of double doors and produced a key from her pocket that had a golden keychain. She unlocked the doors and pushed them open, walking in.

It reminded Dave of the hotel he'd stayed in before being shipped to Vietnam. His mother had wired him some money so that he could enjoy his last days on American soil in comfort. There was a sitting area with a sofa and television, a wardrobe against the wall behind the sofa, a small kitchenette in the right corner, a large bed in the center of the room, and French doors that gave him a view of an unfamiliar garden. 

Dot went to the doors and said, "These don't open. But you can change the setting to whatever you prefer. This is our default. I personally prefer New York in the 1920s." She turned a dial by the doors and suddenly the garden changed to a city. If Dave didn't know any better he'd swear the room had just traveled to New York. "Bathroom's through here," she gestured to another door. 

"If there's anything you need, you can use the telephone there," she gestured to the table next to the bed, where indeed a small telephone sat. "Be aware however that whatever you order it will be deducted from your company account. There's a menu in the side table for groceries, toiletries, anything you might want from the company commissary. We also offer a cleaning service however that too would come out of your company account." 

Dot circled back to the front door, adding, "Orientation is in the morning, 9AM sharp. There's a welcome packet on the coffee table and that will need to be filled out so you can hand it in at orientation. There are clothes for you in the wardrobe. There's an employee handbook in the welcome packet, you'll want to make yourself familiar with it."

"This is a lot to take in," Dave said.

"I know," she replied. "But I'm sure that you can manage. If you have any questions, call me." She extracted a business card from her purse and put it by the phone. "Any time, day or night. Welcome to the Commission, Mr. Katz." 

And with that, Dot left the room, handing him the key before she went and took the briefcase with her.

Dave sat on the ground for lack of any better ideas, and took the pocket watch out, holding it in his hand. Time travel was real, and he was supposed to die but didn't. It was overwhelming, and for a moment he didn't move. He looked out the windows, where the sun was setting over New York. A city he'd never been to but always wanted to see. 

He got to his feet and looked out, amazed by how real it looked. He touched the glass, and he could feel the warmth from the sun. 

It was then that Dave started itching. He realized how filthy he was and that if the mud hadn't already dried on his boots he'd have tracked it onto the carpet. As it was he could see bits of it sticking out against the pale green, and he sighed. Dave wanted a bath. And a burger and fries. Maybe even a beer. Dave opened the drawer and pulled out the menu. Once he figured out what he wanted, he called the commissary, placing the watch on the side table

After he hung up, informed that his food and drinks were on the way, he sighed and went to the bathroom. He needed a shower and to clear his head. 

* * *

Three Years Later

They'd been running for forever, and if Klaus wasn't so used to dodging the cops he was pretty sure he'd have a collapsed lung by now. He was panting hard and doing his best to keep up with his siblings. Diego and Luther were unfairly fast, and Vanya was flying for Christ's sake! Klaus looked and saw Allison was right behind him, and he threw his hand out to her.

She took it and said, "Keep going!" 

"Not like I was planning on slowing down!" Klaus snapped, then winced when he heard something behind them that sounded like one of Vanya's soundwaves. Or Mirror Vanya, he didn't know which one. 

They hadn't gotten to chew the fat with Reggie and his little Sparrow Academy fucks. They were all so shocked to see Ben they were taken completely by surprise when Dad had given the order for the Sparrows to attack them. 

It was by sheer luck that they'd gotten out of the Academy in the first place. 

Allison veered into an alley, dragging Klaus with her. They peaked out, and Klaus saw that creepy floating box that had been following them for the past several blocks. 

"What even is that thing?" Allison whispered. 

"It's a droid from hell," Klaus muttered. 

It paused twenty feet away, and Allison crept away from the alley mouth. Klaus followed, but then his foot kicked a glass bottle. He looked back and saw that the box was coming their way. He didn't think, he only reacted. Klaus pushed Allison behind a dumpster, then ran out of the alley, taunting the box. 

"Catch me if you can!" He yelled, sprinting down the sidewalk. 

It was then that something hit him, and Klaus looked down to see there was a metal spike sticking out of his shoulder. Years with Diego told him to leave it and keep running, but he'd paused long enough that the box was in front of him now. It glowed emerald green, and for a moment Klaus had an insane thought that the box was from the land of Oz. 

"Surrender," the box said.

Klaus held up his hands, saying, "Uh, yeah, totally, just one thing--" And he pushed forward with his power. Suddenly he was surrounded by ten ghosts, all of whom were corporeal and ready to tear shit up. They fell on the box, screaming banshees of pure fury as they tore the box apart. The green glow inside turned blue, and another ghost stood there.

It was Klaus, he was looking at his own ghost. 

Ghost Klaus stared at him for a moment, then said, "Well played. But can you do this?" He threw his hands out, devoid of the tattoos that Klaus had on his own hands, and the ghosts shrieked and disappeared. 

"What the hell?!" 

Ghost Klaus stared at him. "You have no idea what we can do." He held his hand up, and the spike started to slowly push further into Klaus's shoulder. Klaus grabbed the end and tried to pull it out, but it was like it was stuck in stone rather than flesh. 

"At least I still have my fabulous hair," he said.

The pain in his shoulder was increasing, and Ghost Klaus stepped closer. "I wonder, what would happen if I took over your body? It looks similar to mine, but we are different people. Would it be like being possessed?"

"Please don't," Klaus pleaded. "The last time I was possessed I puked up Ben and it was the most disgusting experience of my life. And yes I'm including that incident with the tortoise and the motor scooter." 

The spike suddenly turned, and Klaus fell to his knees gasping in pain as it slipped under his skin. He could feel it slicing into his muscles, and knew it was headed straight for his heart. He was in too much pain to even scream. And the entire time Ghost Klaus stood over him, the cold look in his eyes so reminiscent of their mutual father it turned Klaus's stomach. 

"I heard a rumor that you couldn't use your powers." 

Ghost Klaus looked up. Klaus fell on his back and saw that Allison was behind him, and it was probably the happiest he'd been all day. 

"That doesn't work on me," Ghost Klaus said, and the spike was moving again. Klaus screamed. 

"Allison!" Klaus saw that Luther was running towards them. "Come on, we have to go!" 

"Klaus--" She said, but he scooped her up in his arms. 

"Come on!" Luther screamed. He then leaped high onto a rooftop and disappeared. 

Klaus was looking up at his double and knew that he was about to die. Ghost Klaus was leaning over him and he said, "Don't worry, I won't kill you. Not technically, anyway." He reached forward, and Klaus felt like someone had thrust an icicle into his brain. Memories that weren't his flooded through him, like he was downloading his evil twin's entire life.

He felt like his skin was being peeled back, and he realized that Ghost Klaus was trying to pull him out of his body! 

He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing past the pain and abject terror that was washing over him. Klaus called for help with his powers, and he was surprised when the pressure let up. When he opened his eyes, it was to see the ghosts were back, and they were pulling his ghost double away from him. Another ghost helped him to stand, which was difficult as this was probably the worst pain that Klaus had ever been in.

Klaus didn't want to die. Okay maybe he didn't have anything particularly awesome to live for, but dying here and now was not on the agenda today. Since Ghost Klaus was a ghost, that meant he could control him. He used his powers and laughed when Ghost Klaus froze. He imagined Ghost Klaus being ripped in two, and when his eyes opened he saw the phantom had disappeared. 

One of the ghosts was helping Klaus to stand, another said, "This way, I saw the big guy go this way." 

They helped him down the alley, and when he couldn't walk anymore they carried him. It was by pure luck he actually found his family again. They were gathered in a circle, Allison and Vanya yelling at Luther. 

"We can't just leave him, they'll kill him!" Vanya yelled.

"We're wasting time! If we don't get out of here now we won't be able to save him at all!" Five said.

Allison glared at Five.

"He's right, we have to go," Luther said.

"I heard a rumor--"

"That my death was greatly exaggerated," Klaus replied.

They turned, and Allison and Vanya rushed to him, hugging him. Klaus whimpered and hugged back as best he could.

"Great, Klaus is back, can we go now?!" Five shouted.

They held hands, and after the whoosh of time travel found themselves in front of an observatory. Klaus thought it looked pretty, but then he collapsed again and blacked out. 

When he woke up, it was to a white room that smelled distinctly of a hospital. He raised his hand to touch his chest and found the spike was gone, a bandage in its place. There was the distinct itchiness that told him there were definitely stitches under that gauze. The room was empty, and Klaus wondered what the hell happened.

Then it came back to him in a rush, both what had been done to him and the memories he'd accidentally gleaned from his alternate self. His body was shaking, and Klaus was vaguely aware that he was having a seizure. He could hear machines around him going nuts. People in white uniforms rushed into the room, shouting. 

Things were a blur of motion and white, and then it was suddenly dark. The room was empty of the people in white, but someone was sitting next to his bed. 

"Ben?" He whispered hopefully. Maybe Vanya had been wrong and he hadn't died again. 

The bedside lamp turned on and Klaus sighed. It was Diego. He'd gotten a haircut and a shave, and looked more like himself. "How are you feeling?" 

"I think this is the worst I've ever felt in my entire life. I could use a drink," Klaus replied. 

"Stay here," Diego said and got up and left the room. Klaus wondered where exactly it was Diego thought he was going to run off to. 

When he returned, it was with the rest of their siblings. Everyone had been patched up and changed, so they were in fresh clothes. Allison went to his side and grabbed his hand, squeezing it, while Vanya went to his other side. 

"We were so worried, we thought you were going to die," Allison told him.

Klaus chuckled and said, "Me too. I'm such an asshole." 

"What happened exactly?" Five asked. 

He rolled his eyes. "Hi, nice to see you too, Five. Thanks so much for waiting for me. And hey thanks for saving me Luther, really appreciate it." 

At that, Allison glanced at Luther and it was not a friendly look. He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassment staining his cheeks a bright red. 

Klaus rolled his eyes and muttered, "Wish I could say I was surprised."

"Would you stop? We have something more important to worry about right now," Five said.

"Like what?"

"Like if the Sparrow Academy is going to be able to track us here," he replied. Five was pacing the room. "We've discovered their powers are the same as ours, but they're much more well-honed. The 29-year-old version of myself has mastered spacial jumps and can travel backward and forward in time at will. He's also developed the ability to stop time which I discovered when I attempted to jump back ten seconds before they attacked us." 

"It's like… They're better versions of us," Vanya said. "But there's something really off about them."

"Yeah, like the Sparrow me doesn't have a body," said Klaus.

Diego and Five looked at him, and Diego asked, "What?" 

"That's what the box was. I was inside it. And then when the box was destroyed he tried to pull me out of my body so he could get in," Klaus said. 

"Oh my God," Vanya said softly.

"It was weird too because now I can remember my whole life and his whole life," he muttered. 

"How is that possible?" Allison asked.

"Consciousness transference isn't unheard of," Five replied and then paced closer to the bed. He grabbed the chair and sat down next to Klaus. "I need you to tell me everything you know about them."

"Come on, I just got stabbed and violated in the grossest way possible, can't I take a nap? Or have a cigarette?" Klaus whined.

"Klaus, you're the only one that knows anything about them," Luther said. 

"He's right, if we stand a chance against the Sparrow Academy, we need all the information we can get," Diego added. 

Klaus wished Ben were there. Okay yeah, he was a sassy asshole who had no problem bullying Klaus until he did something that resembled taking care of himself. But Ben also knew when to back the fuck off. He closed his eyes, as he was so tired. His shoulder was pulsing and he wanted to go to sleep.

Then Five shook him and said, "Focus!"

"Ow!" Klaus yelled. "That hurt!" 

"That's enough," Allison said. "I know we're in trouble but he's in no condition to--"

"To what? Take things seriously for once?" Luther shot back.

"Do you want to see your daughter again?" Five added. "We may not get a chance if the Sparrow Academy wipes us out first." 

"That's not fair," Allison said.

"It's the truth," Diego replied. 

Klaus groaned and said, " **Fine!** Jesus, I'll tell you what I know, but keep your fucking voices down! My brain still feels like it's being stabbed." 

Once everyone was quiet again, Klaus started talking. 

"So Dad managed to figure out where and when to get us. He knew everything about how our powers worked and how to train our evil twins just from that light dinner in Dallas. He took a different approach to raising them. Other me doesn't remember it consciously but I could see it in his head. Dad raised them more like a cult than a family. No interaction with the outside world, no press tour, nothing. They operate more like secret agents than superheroes.

"It worked too, they're loyal to him and won't even take a piss unless he says so. Totally dedicated to the mission which is stopping evil superpowered people like us. They've known about us their whole lives and dear old Dad has been training them to fight us. Dad sees us as a threat." 

"Do they know about the apocalypse?" Five asked.

"Yeah, yeah that's actually why they're so achingly loyal to him. He's been telling them since they were babies they're the only thing that's gonna stop it. Oh and that we're all involved and they'll probably have to kill us so that we don't end the world," Klaus replied. 

"Typical," Diego muttered. 

"Why were you a ghost?" Allison asked.

At that, Klaus sighed. "So remember when Ben died? Looks like things went different this time, Ben was hurt but I'm in a coma. Or I should say, my evil twin's body is. His body is somewhere in the Academy on a ventilator. But he can leave his body whenever he wants so he does. The box thing helps him get around more quickly but he doesn't need it to function."

Five was up and on his feet again, pacing the room. "Does he know about the Commission?" 

That certainly came out of left field, but Klaus said, "Uh, I don't know?" 

"Great," said Five, and he vanished from the room. 

"Guess the interrogation is over," Klaus muttered. He was getting tired again, and the pain was exhausting him. 

"You should sleep," said Allison. 

"Don't mind if I do," said Klaus. 

He closed his eyes. 

He was dreaming before he knew it. He was floating above the sidewalk barefoot, legs crossed, and chin resting on his hand while his elbow was on his knee. He could see Luther, Diego, and Allison ahead of him. If he looked back he knew he'd see Five, Ben, and Vanya. They were all wearing the black bodysuits and masks from their childhood missions. 

The neighborhood surrounding them was suburban and quiet, and he wondered what the hell they were doing there. Then he heard a voice call out, "Number Four!"

He looked to his right, and there was Dad. Dressed impeccably, wearing his monocle, and holding a cane. 

"And where do you think you're going?" He asked. 

"Hell if I know," Klaus replied.

Then someone was standing behind him, and he heard them whisper, "Be careful, you don't want to catch a cold." A scarf was wrapped around his neck.

"Dave?" He whispered. 

It was then pulled tight, someone was choking him. 

And then Klaus was awake, it was daytime, and the room was empty. He collapsed back against the bed and wondered why the hell his subconscious was trying to scare him like that when there was already so much in his waking life to be afraid of. 

Secretly, he hoped he had the dream again. He wanted to hear Dave's voice. 


	2. and then i'd say to you we could take to the highway

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are again. I'm going to do my best to update every week. I've got some time off I'm using right now to get as much written as I can and streamline the story. This chapter's a bit shorter than the last one, I'm sorry. But later chapters will be longer. It's going to get very angsty for a while too so strap yourself in.

The Commission took some getting used to. For starters, everything was set up like it was still the 1950s, however, they had access to the most advanced technology that Dave had ever seen. Some remarkable people worked there and he witnessed more historic events than you can shake a stick at. But it wasn't all great. 

There was all the paperwork he had to fill out plus training. Dave thought it would be a simple operation where he'd have to maybe take a sniper position. He was dead wrong. Instead, they were putting emphasis on deaths that looked accidental or natural. It had taken some getting used to, as Dot said, "We're not a ham-handed shoot first and worry later operation anymore. We expect better of our Correctors." 

She said this was another change. They were no longer referred to as assassins. It didn't make Dave feel better about what he was doing. He could applaud them for the effort anyway. As it was, his first assignment from Dot was to end a man's life and make it look like he'd died in his sleep.

The task should have been easy since he was some warlord in 1100s Russia that Dave had never heard of. Upon arrival, however, he realized the situation was more complicated than he'd originally expected. The man in question had a captain of the guard at his side who could sense danger a mile away.

He'd asked if he could just kill the captain but was told in no uncertain terms that it was out of the question. So, Dave had to think outside the box. It was when he was eating dinner and watching TV that it came to him. He'd been watching a movie about the fall of Troy, and upon seeing the wooden horse he got an idea. Not a Trojan horse, that would have been ridiculous. But there was a way to take the captain out of the equation. 

Dave worked on his idea for over a week, and then he was ready to put his plan into action.

He returned to the fortress and went directly to the captain's quarters. Outside, he pulled the pin on the gas grenade he'd made, tossed it into the room, and closed and locked the door. There was a thumping sound, and then it went quiet. Dave nodded and found the warlord. He gave him an air embolism. Which to people in the 1100s would look like he'd just died in his sleep. Just as he'd been asked to do.

When he returned to the Commission for debriefing, Dot asked, "What did you do to the captain?" 

"I made an anesthesia bomb," Dave replied. 

She leaned her elbows against the desk and said, "I'm all ears."

He explained he'd gotten the idea after seeing a movie. A scene of people choking on smoke as Troy burned. He thought it was possible to use gas to knock someone out. The dosing had been critical and he'd had to read a lot of books on chemicals and trigger mechanisms to make sure he got it right. 

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't a hundred percent sure it would work since I didn't really get to test it. When I went back to the captain's quarters he was out like a light so I retrieved the bomb and tucked him into bed." Dave then took it out of his pocket and placed it on Dot's desk.

She stared at it and beamed at him. "You're a genius!" 

"I don't know about that--"

"Don't be modest," Dot interrupted. "That's a complicated bit of machinery you made Mr. Katz. How long did it take?"

"The research took a week. The assembly? About six hours, I think."

She stood up and walked around the desk, Dave getting to his feet as she did. Dot took his arm and said, "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you to our R&D department where some of the finest engineers throughout time and space are going to teach you to make more gadgets like that," she replied.

That was three years ago. Today, no one called him Mr. Katz or Dave anymore. It was always Gadget. And he was usually working on something or other for his missions. Dave had learned both engineering and chemistry, and he was well known for being able to make the most improbable situations work. Give him enough time and access to the lab and he'd cook up a gadget that could accomplish his goals.

And he was being well compensated for it as well. Everything he made, R&D made sure he got full credit for and it went directly into his company account. His quarters had been upgraded a few times too so that now he was living in a small underground house. He had a good reputation around the office, and his superiors loved his work. However, there was one small issue, that was becoming bigger and bigger as time went on. 

He had a special request that he made every year, and two years running now it was denied. He hoped this year would be different since he was now more than halfway through his contract. He'd submitted it again weeks ago and still hadn't heard back. He wished he had someone to talk to about it but that was the other issue. 

Dave was having trouble making friends. It wasn't that he was unfriendly, and sure people were sociable. But many of them knew each other from the old regime and pretty much kept to themselves when new hires came on. Amongst the newer folks, many of them had been partnered together and preferred to pair off, leaving him adrift. He'd briefly had a fling with a guy in the mailroom, but after Dave was promoted it ended badly. 

It was on his third anniversary with the Commission that things suddenly got interesting.

One afternoon, Dave was returning to headquarters after yet another successful mission. Standing outside the building was a kid in a school uniform. Dave frowned and wondered what the hell he was doing there. He hadn't seen a kid in years, and this one for some reason was throwing Dave off. 

He approached and asked, "Are you looking for someone?" 

The boy looked up at him, and there was the briefest flicker across his face. Annoyance, as though he weren't used to being questioned. "Where might I find Herb?" 

"The Director?" Dave asked in surprise. "He's likely in his office."

"I see," the kid said. Then he vanished into thin air. 

Dave blinked and muttered, "What the hell?" He went into the building and headed straight for the Director's office. When he arrived, he could hear voices on the other side of the door. Undeterred, he knocked and waited. 

"Come in."

He entered and saw the kid standing in front of the Director's desk. The boy looked at him and then back at the Director, saying, "Thank you, this will be a big help." 

"I'm aware," he replied. "Gadget, I'd like you to meet Number Five."

"Number Five?" Dave echoed. What the hell kind of a name was that? He kept that opinion to himself. 

"Gadget?" Number Five said back mockingly. 

"That's enough," the Director said. He got up and walked around the desk, and it struck Dave once again how short the man was. He wasn't exactly a force to be reckoned with, but he was smart and knew the Commission inside and out. "Gadget is our best Corrector. You'll be working together." 

"No offense sir, but I don't need a partner," said Dave.

"I know you don't, and neither does Number Five," the Director replied. "However Number Five and his family will be working for the Commission from now on. His sister Number Three will be working Corrections as well, and I think it would be good for both of you to show her the ropes." 

"I can train her," Number Five said.

The Director gave him an indulgent smile. "Things have changed at the Commission since you've left, Number Five. You'll need a refresher course before I can let you back in the field."

Number Five didn't appear to be happy about the proposal. His eyes narrowed and his lips flattened into a harsh line. He then said, "Fine. When do we start?"

"Oh, I'd say tomorrow should be all right. Number Three is cleared for duty but the rest of them need to come in for assessment so we can figure out where to put them. Number Four can wait until he is released from the clinic," the Director said.

"Very well. I'll fetch them now," and Number Five walked out of the room. No disappearing act this time.

Dave snorted. "Nice kid." 

"He's fifty-eight," the Director replied.

Dave raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding."

"It's a long story. How'd the mission go?" And the Director sat behind his desk again.

"Small hiccup with the car that was issued but managed to get there in time," Dave replied. 

"And how did Bonnie and Clyde's first date go?"

He snorted. "Don't know what she sees in him. He's a dolt." 

"Thank you, Gadget. I'll call you in the morning so you can show Number Five and Number Three around." 

"Yes sir." Taking it as a dismissal, Dave left too.

He tried to unwind, but he was having trouble with it as he kept thinking about that kid. How in the hell was he fifty-eight? Since he couldn't sleep, Dave decided to head down to HR and do a little research on Number Five. 

His file was insanely long, and Dave only really read the highlights. He'd read a little about the kid's family and wondered what they were like. He got his answer the next morning when he met him and the rest of his family, whom Dave called the Numbers. 

There were five of them. A tall white guy built like a gorilla, a shorter Hispanic man with dark hair and a lot of knives, a statuesque Black woman, the kid, and a petite white woman with brown hair who managed a weak smile when Dave said hello to her. Numbers One, Two, Three, Five, and Seven to be more exact.

They were in the foyer of the building talking, and when Dave approached he was briefly introduced before the others left for their assignments. 

"Number Three, this is Gadget," Number Five said. "Who apparently is almost as good at my old job as I was." 

"I looked you up," Dave replied. "Your closed case count is much higher than mine is." 

"I read your file too, and you've closed each of your cases with minimum lethality. That's difficult in this job," said Number Five.

Number Three raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you just compliment someone?" 

"A statement of fact, nothing more." 

Number Three chuckled and held a hand out for Dave to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Gadget." 

"You too, Number Three." 

"Just Three is fine, and he's Five."

"I thought he was twelve?" 

That startled a laugh out of Three and Five scowled at him. "Laugh it up. Maybe I'll push you through the ice next and see if you acorn." 

Dave paused, but then said, "I don't get it."

"Long story. So, are you going to show us around?" 

"Sure." And Dave did. He gave them a tour of the facility as well as the same company spiel that Dot had given when he'd first arrived. When they got to the briefcase room he said, "And this is where we keep the time machines."

"Heavy security," Five observed.

"Yeah, someone blew up the previous room they were stored in. And then folks kept stealing them so now if you need a briefcase you need a supervisor to sign one out for you," Dave told them.

Three looked at Five and asked, "Wasn't that you?"

"Yes," Five grumbled.

That was news to Dave. "So the process is this. A case is assigned to you and you have time to study it before insertion. The Commission is really stressing as few deaths as possible but it's up to the individual Corrector as to how that can be accomplished. Me, for example, I usually build a gizmo or two and set 'em loose."

"Isn't assessment a job for Case Management?" Five asked. 

"They revamped Case Management after the Handler Coup," he replied. "It's more focused on locating inconsistencies and the source of them. Once it's determined who or what is creating it then it gets assigned to Corrections. And we take it from there." 

"Huh, so they managed to add even more bureaucracy to this job. Didn't think that was possible," said Five dismissively. 

Dave held in a sigh and counted from ten to one so he wouldn't lose his patience. "I'm sure it's different from shooting people in the face and going about your merry day. But that's now how things are done here, now. I hope you can handle that." Okay, that wasn't very friendly. Dave didn't believe in beating about the bush and he thought Five would appreciate the direct approach. 

"It sounds like a challenge," he said.

Three was smirking at that and she crossed her arms over her stomach. "I think we can manage that." 

He continued the tour, which ended at the quarters the Numbers were going to share. The rest of the Numbers were already there, gathered around a dining table, passing around take out Chinese food. They seemed happy enough but Dave still got the feeling something wasn't right. 

As he handed the key to Three, she said, "Thanks for the tour, Gadget. I'm looking forward to working together."

"Thank you, ma'am, same here. Have a good night." 

When Dave returned to his room, he collapsed into a chair and stared at the wall. He felt like something momentous had happened today, but he couldn't put his finger on why. 

* * *

The Commission were a bunch of assholes and Klaus was protesting. Apparently, his assessment hadn't gone well and the job he'd been assigned was bullshit. At first, he wasn't super happy about having to clean up around the office. But then they told him that Sanitation was actually cleaning up corpses and Klaus was even less enthused. What fucking genius thought that sticking the guy who could see ghosts with body clean up was a brilliant idea? 

Klaus didn't like his new job. He didn't like his new room. He didn't like his new clothes. The jumpsuit they'd handed him was itchy and felt like sandpaper against his skin. Not rough enough to make him bleed but definitely enough to make him miss his own clothes. Cotton and leather, his favorite fabrics. 

This polyester nightmare was from the depths of hell. He had to tie his hair back, a compromise as ordinarily, they'd have him cut it altogether. Klaus wasn't a field agent so there were dress codes to abide by. The hat was really the only thing he sort of liked. It wasn't what he would have preferred but it kept his hair out of his face. 

It would have been nice if he could have roomed with his siblings, but when he'd been placed in Sanitation they'd told him he would need to keep to the lower levels. Sanitation was always on call, and a request for clean up could arrive at a moment's notice. 

Sounded like a load of shit to Klaus, but he hadn't gotten much say in the matter. When he was released from the Commission's emergency clinic they'd pushed him into a little room to take a test. Then they'd shoved the uniform at him and told him about his new job.

And he really didn't like that he wasn't allowed to smoke inside the building. He pointed out that he'd seen some of the fancier dancier people smoking, but then he was told that only management was allowed that luxury. 

The assessment test was hard and confusing. The orientation had been boring. The paperwork was insane. Christ on a cracker, how did Five put up with this shit? Five went through like, at least three apocalypses now and he still handled paperwork better than Klaus did. Of course, Klaus had never applied for a real job in his life. Maybe they were all like this, he wouldn't know.

He sighed and climbed the ladder to his bed, then collapsed and stared up at the ceiling. Bunk beds were stupid, especially for adults. But he'd been told that Sanitation all used the dorm facilities. Klaus wasn't on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder, he was the ground it sat on and he was not loving it. He wasn't sure where his siblings had been shuttled off to but he wouldn't be surprised if they had nicer accommodations. They had more important jobs. 

Klaus did count himself lucky that the medical staff had been able to get that spike out of him. And that they weren't making him pay for it out of pocket. They told him he would need physical therapy, otherwise, the scar tissue would build up and his shoulder would be stiff and useless. Once the docs gave him the all clear, he was shown to his new home. He hadn't seen Five or the others in days. 

Then he'd gotten his first assignment and he decided this job really sucked. He'd considered simply not doing it, but it was made clear to him by the scarily cheerful corporate recruiter that he would work or he'd find himself on the street. Klaus had to actually think about it because he'd lived on the streets before and he could do it. The problem was his ghost twin and what would happen if he got a hold of Klaus. So he'd shut up and gotten in the truck with his team.

His shoulder was still killing him and he wished for something for the pain. Sissy and Harlan had been long gone from the farm. And it had been hard work, dragging all those agents to the furnace. It had taken over a week in their time but in Dallas 1963 it had only taken an hour. The crew that Klaus was assigned to consisted of two cousins with the last name of Ryan and a guy named Johnson. Johnson didn't actually lift a finger he simply yelled at Klaus and the Ryans to do whatever needed to be done.

Klaus considered staying there. But without his family and Dave already in the Marines, it could get pointless. Also, there was that pesky thing with the Sparrow Academy still looking for them. The last Klaus had heard from Diego they were running a search and destroy mission in 2019. Klaus thought it was extremely unlikely that Ol' Reggie didn't already know where they'd gone, but when Klaus brought it up he was ignored completely. 

He was just thinking about sneaking out for a smoke when the temperature dropped, and Klaus sighed, seeing his breath in front of him. "Not now," he begged. He turned his head to see some guy in a suit with… Was that a letter opener sticking out of his chest? 

"Help me," he said quietly. 

"Sorry, I'm off duty," Klaus replied and tried to roll onto his good shoulder. He couldn't seem to manage it though. 

The ghost was then hovering over his cot and he said, "Look what she did to me!" 

Klaus blinked slowly, then said, "She… Stabbed you. What'd you do, cross an i and dot a t?" 

"Alerted her to an anomaly in a barn outside of Dallas," the ghost replied. "She didn't want anyone to know so she killed me."

It took Klaus a little longer than it should have to put two and two together. "Oh, the chick with the ugly hair and the stupid hat? Handle something? Yeah, she's dead." 

"She is?" The ghost said in surprise.

"Yeah. My brother killed her. Or like, actually he set her up to be killed or something. I don't know. All I know is some dude with white hair appeared out of nowhere and wasted the bitch." 

The ghost sighed, then actually smiled. "She's dead."

"Yep." 

"You're sure?" 

"Saw her drop myself. Good thing too apparently she was gonna shoot all of us or something."

"The anomaly--" 

"That was my sister's bad but she fixed it. Don't worry." 

The ghost smiled again. "Thank you, thank you so much." And the ghost vanished. 

Klaus blinked, then said, "Okay." 

Was it really that simple, getting rid of the ghosts? He'd never actually done it before. He'd tried to learn how to banish them, or reason with them, anything so they wouldn't scream and claw at him constantly. Maybe that was the way to go, just talk to them. 

Klaus got up and went to grab his cigarettes. He went into the common room and saw Johnson watching television with the Ryans. 

"Where are you going?" He asked. 

"Cigarette break," Klaus replied. He then sighed and asked, "You wanna come?" He had to at least try to make friends. 

"I'm fine here, I don't smoke anyway," he replied and turned back to the TV. 

"Suit yourself." Klaus left the room, but he heard something when he turned the corner. Very soft, but it cut through Klaus like a knife. 

"Freak." 

One of the Ryans chuckled. "You got that right."

"Did you hear him talking to himself in there?" The other Ryan asked. 

"Yeah. Figures they finally get a new guy on the crew for us and he's a fuckin' nut job," said Johnson.

"He won't last," a Ryan said. "Types like him never do."

"I dunno, I heard he's got family in the upper ranks," said Ryan the second. 

"Must not be high enough on the corporate food chain if he's hauling corpses with us," the first Ryan said. 

"Or he's too damn dumb to be trusted with anything else," Johnson put in. 

"Whatever. So long as the little freak stays away from me I'll be happy," said a Ryan.

"Cheers to that," replied the other Ryan. 

"Pipe down, the show's back on," Johnson concluded. 

Well, that was just typical. 

Klaus closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then headed upstairs. He would have cried if he wasn't so busy pushing his emotions aside. He wouldn't be making any friends here, but that was just as well. He didn't make friends anywhere, it was like Ben said. No one wanted to put up with his shit. 

Wasn't that a depressing thought… Maybe he could get in two cigarettes before he had to turn in. Long day tomorrow, after all. He had a feeling they were all going to be long days, and Klaus would need his beauty sleep.

He missed his family. Klaus doubted they missed him. 


	3. with this trunk of ammunition too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to start by saying this chapter involves the sinking of the Titanic. And I took some liberties with it because if James Cameron can do it and win an Oscar I can do it for the sake of a fanfic. 
> 
> I've had to start packing up my apartment earlier than I thought I would, simply due to time constraints and a few issues that have come up with my landlord. There might be a delay after chapter six unless I can actually finish before Labor Day Weekend. We'll see how it goes.
> 
> Also I'd like to thank everyone who's left comments so far, it's been wonderfully motivating for trying to get as much written as I can. And thank you to everyone who's left kudos as those emails never fail to cheer me up.

It was early morning when Dave saw the assignment roster had been updated. He still preferred working alone over having a partner. It felt… Strange to carry out Corrections as part of a team. Not even when he'd first started with the Commission. Since he often made his own devices and did recon, it wasn't necessary to have a partner. What was even stranger was the assignment itself. He would have been given a file and the situation, but this time there was nothing there except orders to wait for Five and Three. 

"That's odd," Dave said out loud. 

"Nothing odd about it."

Dave turned and jumped when he saw that Five had appeared next to him. "You about scared the life out of me!" 

"Sorry," he said, not sounding sorry at all. 

"I don't get it," Dave said. "Where's the file?" 

"I have it," Five said. "I've been told you have a knack for inventing. How are you at crowd control?" 

"Fair. I can fight if I need to. I'm not the strongest guy around but I don't have a problem putting someone down."

"Good. I'm going to be running point on this mission, you'll be taking orders from me." 

"And why's that?" Dave asked. "We don't have a hierarchy like that for fieldwork." 

"It has more to do with Three than myself," he replied. "She hasn't been on a mission before, and this one is going to require her unique abilities. I want to keep her focused and it will be easier to do that if I'm calling the shots." Five handed Dave a picture. 

Dave looked at it and frowned. It was a man in an old officer's uniform, probably from a cruise liner if he had to guess. Dave didn't know him, and he wondered what exactly they were going to have to do to him. Kill him, more than likely, but how? And why? 

It was then that Three showed up. She was dressed in the same blue suit uniform Dave and the rest of the Correctors wore. Her hair was tied back, and she struck quite the figure. She smiled at Dave and asked, "Ready?" 

"And raring," Dave replied. 

Five had the briefcase, but he handed it to Dave, saying, "Here, it's too heavy for me. Coordinates are set." 

He sighed and opened it. There was the familiar lurching sensation, and they found themselves standing on the deck of a ship. It was night time, and the air was surprisingly cold. He shivered and pulled the briefcase closer to himself. 

"Never thought I'd be back here again," Five said, and started forward.

Dave was about to ask where, but then they passed a sign that said, White Star Line. He sighed and asked, "Olympic, Titanic, or Brittanic?" 

"Titanic," Three replied and walked ahead. "We need to find the wheelhouse and get off this ship before someone sees us." 

"This way," said Five. 

As they walked, Dave asked, "You've been on the Titanic before?" 

"Only briefly. I needed to steal the binoculars from the crow's nest," he said.

"Seems like they're still having trouble keeping the Titanic on course. Or off, depending on how you look at it," Dave replied. 

"Ripples through the timeline. It'll slow down," he said.

Dave almost asked, but then he was interrupted by Three. "Here." She gestured to a narrow staircase. 

"Okay, here's what we do," said Five. "There are two men upstairs in the wheelhouse. One is a junior officer who's not our primary target but he could be a problem. The other is a quartermaster who's currently manning the helm. Gadget, secure the room, make sure they can't raise the alarm. I'll take care of the junior officer. Three, you take the quartermaster. Any questions?"

"What about Murdoch?" Dave asked. "If I remember correctly he's alone on the bridge. Can he see us from the wheelhouse?" At the bewildered looks from Five and Three, he shrugged. "My aunt Pat, she had family on this ship. Knew everything about the wreck." 

"If he interferes, Three can handle him. He's not going to survive the sinking anyway," Five said. 

They ascended the stairs, seeing no one about but a few of the crew. Dave opened the door to the wheelhouse, gun up but not firing. Five blinked out and appeared next to the man at the bell. Five kicked the man so hard in the knee the blow dislocated his kneecap. Five reappeared behind him and broke his neck. 

Three meanwhile went to the man at the wheel, who didn't even have time to yell before she held her hands up and said, "I heard a rumor, that you didn't move and you kept your mouth shut." 

The man stilled, his eyes going milky white like he was blind. It all happened so fast there hadn't been a chance for them to kick up a fuss. It was then that the phone rang. Five looked at Dave and said, "Answer that, would you?"

Dave nodded and went to the phone and heard a voice on the other end yell, "Are you there?!"

"Yes, what do you see?" Dave replied. 

"Iceberg, right ahead!"

Dave said, "Thank you," and hung up. He could hear someone yelling, saying to turn to port. 

Three smirked and stepped closer to the man at the helm. "I heard a rumor you turned hard to starboard." 

It was like he was under a spell. Five in the meantime said, "Help me with him," indicating the dead man on the ground. 

"What do we do?" Dave asked.

"Wait for it," Five said, smirking in reply.

The ship shuddered hard, nearly knocking all of them off their feet. Dave handed the briefcase to Five, then grabbed the dead man. He looked both ways to make sure no one could see, but they were too distracted by the impact. Dave threw him overboard. 

When he returned to the wheelhouse, it was to see Five had set the coordinates on the briefcase. Three was still standing by the quartermaster, and she said, "I heard a rumor, that you forgot everything that's happened in the last fifteen minutes." 

"Let's go," Five said. 

They gathered around the suitcase and found themselves back at headquarters only seconds later. Five patted Dave on the arm and said, "Nice work."

"Thanks," he replied, then looked at Three. "What did you do to him?" 

"I rumored him," she replied. At Dave's blank look, she chuckled. "I can make anyone do anything, so long as I say that phrase followed by whatever I want them to do." 

Dave blinked. "Well, I'm out of a job." 

"I doubt it. I can't be everywhere at once after all, and from what I hear you're pretty good at what you do," Three said. 

"I try."

Five nodded. "I'd say it's time for a drink."

"Won't that uh… Should you be drinking at your body's age?" Dave asked.

"I wouldn't worry about it," said Five. 

"Come on, I'll buy you a beer," Three replied.

Dave shrugged. "Why not? Let's go turn this in and we can get going."

There was a company lounge that Dave sometimes went to after work. He'd have a beer or two and head back to his quarters. Since he didn't socialize much he rarely had a reason to go. However, if Three was buying and Five was feeling friendly he figured why not? 

Dave turned the suitcase over to Dot, and they gave details about how the mission had gone. Dot was pleased to hear that Three's power made everything go much more smoothly. She then asked that they file the proper paperwork and they would be contacted when their next assignment was ready. 

As they left the office, Five asked, "When did they start doing that?"

"Doing what?" Dave replied. 

"Giving people breaks between jobs. Back in my day, one assignment would always be on the heels of another." 

"That hasn't been the case since the old regime," Dave said. "They stopped doing that because it causes burn out. They also think it was causing errors in the Correction process so now you go on a job you get two to three days off between. I prefer to get the file first so I can start building or get the specs of how to accomplish the mission." 

"Wow, a workaholic huh?" Three asked in a teasing tone.

"I like to be prepared," Dave replied.

The trio headed down to the lounge in the elevator. As they walked down the hall, Three asked, "So what else is down here?"

"In the recreation wing? Well, there's three bars, a few restaurants, and two movie theaters. There are some gymnasiums around as well but they're on the other side of the base since that's considered more work than play. And this area's specifically for play," Dave said.

Five seemed to be taking note of that, and he asked, "Does everyone have access to this place?" 

"Yeah, so long as the person's not on suspension," said Dave.

"Suspension?" Three questioned.

"Yeah, happened to me once. I made a mistake on a mission and I was restricted to quarters for about a week while I was being investigated. Couldn't go anywhere except outside, the commissary, or Dot's office. Not that I was doing much anyway but it wasn't fun," Dave said.

"Be right back," Five said, and vanished. 

"Does he do that a lot?" 

"You have no idea. Come on." 

They arrived at the lounge, and Three grinned and said, "Hi!" And rushed over to a table in the corner. Dave saw that it was the rest of the Numbers. He felt a bit awkward and went to the bar to order. He figured that Three needed a moment with them since she had just come off her first mission. He was surprised however when she came right back and said, "Come sit with us." 

"Uh, yeah okay," Dave said and let her lead him to the table. 

One was sitting against the wall, trying to make himself look smaller which was impossible. Two and Seven were having what looked like a pretty intense conversation about department politics. Three sat down next to One and said, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Gadget."

"We've met," Two said.

"Saying hello on the first day isn't really meeting someone," Three countered. 

Seven tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and said, "Hi Gadget. I'm Va--er, Seven."

Dave shook hands with everyone. He was about to ask what they were drinking when Five appeared out of nowhere and said, "It's taken care of." 

"What is?" Dave asked, but he was ignored. 

"You're sure?" Two asked. 

"Yeah. He won't be able to get into trouble while we're here," Five replied. 

"That's some good news," One said. 

"I don't know, shouldn't we talk to him?" Three frowned. "This feels too much like taking his freedom away." 

"She's right," said Seven. "I know if it were me I'd want you guys to ask me first." 

"Hey we took a vote when he was in the clinic," said One. "Three to two." 

"It's for his own good," Five replied as he sat down. 

"Who are you talking about?" Dave persisted.

"A recalcitrant relative," said Five. 

Two snorted. "Understatement of the year."

Dave was still frowning. Then the conversation turned to the mission and Three was telling the others about being on the Titanic. Dave let it drop, but he made a mental note to ask about it later. As it was, he settled back as a waitress came to the table with a pitcher of beer and six glasses. 

He could always ask more questions later. 

* * *

Klaus didn't like the Commission. He didn't like working in Sanitation especially. He soon found out it wasn't just his bunkmates who didn't like him. Pretty much the entire department thought there was something off about Klaus and stayed far away. This wouldn't have bothered him if he could have left the building (outside of doing a job) or seen his siblings every once in a while.

He did of course because they worked there and occasionally they'd cross each other. Usually, they were too busy to stop and talk. He'd seen Diego the other day talking with that Dot woman wearing a badge that said "head of security" on it and he'd laughed. Diego passed as though he didn't even see Klaus. When Klaus called after Diego, he didn't turn around. 

As it was, Klaus was hauling around bodies. Which in and of itself wasn't fun. On top of that, he'd noticed that some of the folks they'd dispose of their ghosts had a tendency to stick around. Originally Klaus was going to drink and forget about it. Until he tried to purchase some vodka at the commissary and was told in no uncertain terms it wasn't allowed. 

"Why not? My money's just as good as anyone's," he grumbled.

"Orders from above, sir," the girl behind the counter said. She was a tiny Asian girl who's name tag said 'Eun-Ji'. She didn't look old enough to work in a place like the Commission but then again neither did his brother. "We have been advised not to issue any mind-altering substances to you." 

"Five," Klaus growled.

The girl's eyes widened. "You know Mr. Five?" 

"Wish I didn't," he muttered and left. 

Without alcohol or drugs, the ghosts were starting to get to Klaus again. At first, he pushed them away with his powers. But there were only so many times he could do that in a day before he started getting wiped out. And each time they'd come back stronger than ever. And it was always the same three corpses he'd picked up in his first week. It wouldn't have been so bad if Ben were still around. 

One evening, once he was off, Klaus left the Sanitation dorm and went upstairs. He wasn't a detective, but it shouldn't be hard to track down his brothers and sisters. Superpowered people, one of whom was well known in the Commission, they had to be traceable. So Klaus took his best guess as to what floor they were on and pushed the button on the elevator.

It didn't move.

"What the--" Klaus said, and pressed it again.

A cool voice came on over the speaker. "I'm sorry, you do not have access to that level." 

"Uh, okay…" Klaus trailed off and hit another button.

"I'm sorry, you do not have access to that level." 

"Son of a bitch!" 

Klaus pressed as many buttons as he could, but the answer was the same each time. He pressed the one for the foyer so he could go outside, officially sick of this bullshit. Apparently, he wasn't allowed to go anywhere and it was pissing him off. Once he was out of the building, Klaus circled around to the back and started to walk at a fast pace. He got about a mile away from headquarters when he ran into a problem.

There was nothing there.

He found himself standing on the edge of a cliff, and beyond it was a void. Klaus reached his hand out to see if he could touch it, then drew back when something shocked him. "Fuck!" He screamed. He scooped up a handful of dirt and threw it, yelling as he did.

"Are you done?" 

Klaus turned and saw the ghosts had followed him on his little adventure. The same trio as always. Klaus couldn't remember where he'd picked their bodies up from or when but they'd clung to him ever since. 

There was the black boy in the 50s school sweater with the awful glasses and crew cut. A middle-aged white woman wearing a 1930s green flowered dress. And the androgynous person with red crimped hair, a black leather jacket, and criminally tight acid wash jeans, very 1980s.

"I want out of here," Klaus replied. 

"Doesn't look like that's happening today," the kid said. He pushed his glasses up his nose and asked, "How is it you can see us, anyway?"

"I'm cursed," he said, and flopped on the ground, crossing his legs. He pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one up, staring out into the black. This was the first time the three hadn't been screaming at him. As a matter of fact, they seemed almost normal. Klaus wasn't sure what had changed, but he didn't question it.

The kid sat next to him and said, "I wish I could go home." 

"Why don't you? Or like, move on? I mean, there's a heaven. God too, actually. She's kind of mean but don't tell Her I said that," Klaus replied.

"How do you know there's a God?" The woman asked, sitting on his other side. 

"I met Her," said Klaus, exhaling.

"You're fucking making that up," the redhead said, sitting next to the kid. 

"No, I'm not. I got killed a while back at a rave and met God. I thought I would get to see my boyfriend too since he predeceased me but instead I ran into my Dad." Klaus took a drag on his cigarette. "So like, go into the light, or whatever. I'm sure it's nice up there." 

"They're not gonna let me in," said the redhead.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why's that?" 

"Shit I've done," they said but didn't elaborate.

"I'd like to go to heaven," said the boy. "I bet Rusty's up there." 

"Who's Rusty?"

"My dog. He's a terrier and he's the smartest dog on Earth."

The woman reached behind Klaus and squeezed the boy's shoulder. "I'm sure he's up there, sweetie." 

Klaus chose not to comment, instead of smoking his cigarette and thinking. He remembered the guy with the letter opener in his chest and he asked, "So what's keeping you here?" 

The boy looked down at his shoes and said, "My mama. She doesn't know what happened to me. And I know when she dies if she doesn't know she's not gonna move on either. So I'm waiting. When I see her again I'll tell her and maybe we can go to heaven together." 

"What about you?" Klaus asked the woman.

"I wasn't ready to die," she replied. 

The redhead rolled their eyes. "I was gonna haunt the guy who killed me but he's a vegetable so there's no point." 

The boy looked sad and said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"You know, since we're getting along so fabulously, maybe we should introduce ourselves," said Klaus. "I'm Klaus Hargreeves, Number Four, the Seance, medium extraordinaire." 

"I'm Cal Hodgeson," said the boy.

"Libby Morgan," the woman said.

The redhead looked confused, as though they didn't know what question Klaus was asking. The others looked at them expectantly but they scowled in return. Then they said, "Gary Levko."

"You made that up," Cal accused. 

"I don't remember my real name," they admitted. 

"We should call you Scarlet," Klaus said. 

They thought about it, then said, "Yeah, I like it. Scarlet." 

He chuckled and finished his cigarette. "Well, I think my temper tantrum is over. I'm going back inside. Coming?" 

"Sure, not like there's anywhere else to go," Cal said. 

So the ghosts followed Klaus back to his quarters. As they walked, Scarlet said, "You don't seem to have many friends." 

"I think you mean any friends," Klaus replied.

"I'll be your friend," Cal said enthusiastically. "You're really cool."

Klaus snorted. "No, I'm not, I'm a junkie loser." 

"You're not a loser," Libby admonished. "You're lonely is all." 

"Same difference," said Klaus.

When they were back in his room, it was to see that one of the Ryans was asleep in the bottom bunk. Klaus climbed into the top bunk and was glad to see that Cal and Libby had joined him. Scarlet was cooling their heels by the door, looking disinterested as they lounged against the wall. 

"I wish I could introduce you guys to Ben," Klaus whispered. Sure he didn't like the guy, but the last thing he wanted to do was wake the Ryan up.

"Who's that?" Asked Libby.

"He was my brother. He haunted me for years after his death. Spent a lot of that time trying to get me to stop being stupid and actually take care of myself. And all that time I kind of blew him off, I'm wishing I hadn't now." 

"How come?" Cal asked. 

Klaus sighed. He kicked off his boots and climbed under the covers. "He's gone now. He sacrificed himself to save our sister Vanya. And I kinda think… Maybe if I'd listened to him more, worked more with my powers and helped him to manifest. Maybe he'd still be here." 

"What about your sister?" Scarlet asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, her and the others are around here somewhere. In the upper echelons of this stupid place. I think," Klaus muttered. 

"What do you mean you think?" Libby questioned, frowning at him. 

"I haven't seen them since we arrived. I mean, I've seen them around but haven't seen them, you know what I mean? It's what I was doing earlier I figured if I couldn't even visit my family I should just leave but… We're nowhere," he said.

Libby reached over and tried to stroke Klaus's hair. Her hand went right through him and it made Klaus shiver. He concentrated, his hands glowing blue briefly. Long enough for Libby to touch him. "I'm sure they're just busy, sweetie. And I'll bet they'll visit you just as soon as they can." 

"Thanks, Mom," Klaus said, only kind of joking. She did remind him of Grace.

The ghosts faded and Klaus wished he could keep them a bit longer. It was nice to have someone to talk to for once. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. 


	4. i'd end my days with you in a hail of bullets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a difficult week. I'm off social media for the time being. Don't feel like saying much. Stay safe.

He only had to monitor Three and Five for a few more missions until they were both considered fit to work together or on their own. However, that didn't mean that Dave didn't see them. Indeed, he had a standing appointment twice a week to either have lunch or drinks with them and the rest of the Numbers. 

At first, he wasn't quite sure why they would want him around. Sure he had a surprising amount in common with Two, and Seven was probably the sweetest woman Dave had met in his life. It was after he returned from his own mission one day and Three sought him out that he understood. 

They were having coffee, waiting for Five to come back from who knows when, that Three said, "You know, we really appreciate what you're doing for us."

"What's that?" Dave asked with a raised eyebrow.

Three had a small smile on her face as she said, "Treating us like we're normal people." 

"You are normal. I mean, powers aside and all," he replied. He knew what she was talking about as Dave had witnessed it himself.

After drinks with the Numbers, he'd been cornered the next day during his coffee break by a few other Correctors, asking him endless questions about what it was like to work with the legendary Number Five. Each of them had quite the reputation, though Dave didn't pretend to understand half of it. He didn't ask questions either, as he figured if the Numbers did want to talk about it they'd say something. 

There was an air of hero worship when any of the Numbers was out and about, and to tell the truth, it bothered Dave. People acted as though they were celebrities or something when the Numbers were just people. He could see how much it annoyed them, especially Seven. Dave made sure he didn't treat them any differently than he'd treat anyone at the Commission.

His reputation around the office was growing because of it. He'd heard the whispers, that he had been taken into the confidence of the Numbers. Which was stupid, they were work acquaintances who were well on their way to becoming his friends. The number one rule for hanging out together was none of them discussed anything about the Commission after work hours, and it made things much easier.

Still, there were things he could see the Numbers were playing close to the vest. They said they were family, but wouldn't give more detail as to what that meant. They sometimes talked about a father, whom Dave gathered they didn't get along with, and a mother and someone named Pogo. When Dave asked about their mother, Two fell quiet and Dave would have thought someone had killed his puppy. He never asked again. 

It was one night where he learned more about them than he ever thought possible. 

Five was looking for him when Dave got out of Dot's office, and he looked smug. 

"Hi, Five. What's going on?" 

"My brothers were promoted today," Five said. "And we're having a small celebration. I was asked to invite you."

He knew that Five, while he admired his skill, didn't trust Dave. Though from what he could tell Five didn't trust anyone. "Who'd you lose a bet to?" 

"One."

"Thought as much. Where's the party?" 

"In the lunchroom. It's not so much a party as sharing a meal."

He wasn't really hungry, but it had been a difficult mission and Dave could use some R&R. "Lead the way."

They walked down the hall, Five with his hands in his pockets and Dave loosening his tie. Five had recently changed out of the school uniform he always wore and into a navy blue suit like the rest of Corrections. However, he did still wear shorts and long socks, something that Dave had to keep from laughing about. 

When they arrived in the cafeteria, he could see the Numbers had commandeered a table in the center of the room. They were talking excitedly, and when Three spotted Dave she smiled and waved at him. "Gadget! Glad you could make it."

"Wouldn't miss it," he replied as he sat down. He gave a small wave to Seven and then said to One and Two, "I'm told congratulations are in order."

"You're looking at the new Head of Security," Two told him. His expression was placid, but Dave could see an air of smugness beneath it.

"That's great, and what about you, One?" 

He was rubbing the back of his neck like he was embarrassed, but he was also smiling. "I'm now the floor supervisor for Analytics." 

Three beamed at him and he blushed hard. Which, that was a bit weird, but Dave chose to ignore it. He said he'd be right back and went to the chow line, ordering a burger with two pickles. The girl who rang him up seemed bored to death, though her eyes kept straying to where the Numbers were sitting.

When he came back with his food, he said, "I'm really happy for you guys. It's hard to get positions like that without seniority. You must have really impressed the higher-ups."

"I don't know about that," One said.

"I do," said Two. "You tryin' to say we didn't earn it, Gadget?" 

Dave snorted. "You had to have earned it. Look at Five. He's the most well-known assassin in the Commission and he's still gotta work in the trenches like me." 

"Hey!" Five squawked, and everyone laughed. 

"I've got a question though," said Dave.

"Shoot," Two replied. 

"Where are Four and Six?"

They all stilled and looked at him. "Excuse me?" Three said.

"One, Two, Three, Five, and Seven," Dave said. "I'm assuming there's a Four and a Six in your family." 

Seven sighed and said, "Six is dead." 

Dave swallowed the bite of hamburger in his mouth, the taste going sour. "I'm so sorry." 

"It was a long time ago," said Five. 

"Still, it's gotta be horrible to lose a… You know I'm not clear on that. Are you guys cousins?" 

"Siblings," Three corrected. "We were adopted and raised together because of our powers." 

"But our Dad didn't want to bother with names so that's why we have numbers instead," Two said. 

He stared at them for a minute and wondered if they were messing with him. Judging by the pained looks on their faces, he doubted it. "I'm sorry, I'll shut up."

"No, it's okay. Our Dad died recently and it's what brought us back together. Then we were separated again and it--" One said and Two interrupted.

"Threw a monkey wrench into things."

"We're trying to relearn how to be a family," Seven said. 

"Is that why you guys are always sticking together?" Usually, he wouldn't see one Number without another Number nearby. 

"About the long and short of it," said Two.

Dave couldn't seem to help himself. He asked, "So, what about Four?" He remembered Five and the Director talking about him that first day.

"He's alive," Five said. "He works here too."

"Really? How come I never see him with you?" Dave asked. It seemed curious that if they wanted to be a family again they wouldn't include everyone. 

"He works in another department," said Five. 

"We have been meaning to spend more time with him but our schedules don't really match," Seven said to Dave. 

"Well, maybe now that you've got a couple supervisors in the family you'll be able to make time," he said. 

He saw One, Two, and Five exchange glances while Three and Seven looked tense. Two broke the silence and said, "He's a junkie and an alcoholic." 

"Two--" Seven started but One cut her off.

"He's right. Four has a lot of problems. He got sober when we were separated but then when we got back together he started drinking again. He hasn't been in his right mind so now we're not sure if we're the best ones to help him. We might be making him worse," One said. 

Dave frowned. "Well, you're trying to be a family, right?" They were staring at him again and he sighed. "Look, my Dad's no angel. And my uncle's not a great guy either though he was my hero when I was growing up. But I'd rather know them with their faults than not. If you're serious about learning family stuff you'll have to talk to him." 

"You've never met him, what would you know about it?" One asked in a dismissive tone. 

"I know enough about it from my Mama," Dave replied. "She had a drinking problem too and she didn't get better the whole time my father was alive. Once he was dead and she had his pension, she didn't perk up right away like everyone thought. If anything she got worse My uncle was the one who said to just leave her be. Instead, I asked Mama why she was trying to kill herself when I still needed her." 

"What did she say?" Three asked. 

"Drinking was the only way she could face the day and she didn't remember how without it. Dad never hit her, but he crushed her because he always had to have his own way. And he was a mean son of a bitch about it. When he was gone she wasn't used to being allowed her own opinion so she fell apart. It took her time to pull back together. But eventually, she did.

"I'm not saying that's what's going on with your brother. I don't know him and I've never met him. It couldn't hurt though to ask him why," Dave concluded. 

Seven was chewing on her straw, and she said, "He's got a point." 

"No, he's been like this for years," Two said. "Thanks for the advice, but you don't know him like we do." 

One nodded in agreement. "He just needs to have the temptation removed then he'll see that it's better this way." 

Three looked ready to argue, but then Five changed the subject. Dave could see that it was making him uncomfortable. While Two, Five, and One were debating the merits of upgrading systems at the Commission, Dave looked at Seven and asked, "What's your brother's power, anyway?" 

"Who, Four's?" 

"Yeah."

She looked over at the rest of them, seeing the men were now having one hell of a debate about something called an MP3 versus a vinyl record while Three rolled her eyes. She nudged Seven before getting up from the table and saying she needed to use the lady's room. Seven looked back at Dave and said, "He can see ghosts." 

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Ghosts?" 

"Yeah, he can see and talk to them," Seven replied. 

"Huh, you know I never thought ghosts were real," Dave said. 

Seven suddenly looked like she was about to burst into tears. "They're very real. Six--." 

He felt awful, clearly, he'd touched a nerve. Dave found a handkerchief in his pocket (a habit his mother had gotten him into) and handed it to Seven, saying, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean--"

"It's not your fault," she said, drying her eyes. She handed the handkerchief back to Dave. "Sorry, it's a long story."

"Don't rush to tell it on my account," Dave told her. 

Seven gave him a tentative smile. "Thanks." 

By this time Dave had finished his burger. Two and One were now very loudly yelling about someone named Tiffany and someone named Debbie Gibson. Five had excused himself from the argument and instead was watching them fight. 

"If they start debating Britney and Christina again I'm leaving," Five said. 

"Do they work here?" Dave asked.

"You should listen to some music outside your own era sometime," Five told him.

Then Three came back from the bathroom and upon hearing the argument, said, "I heard a rumor you two stopped having this stupid fight." 

They immediately shut up and Five said, "Ah, blessed silence. Thank you." 

Dave heard a whistle in the distance, and people were getting up and leaving the lunchroom. "Back to the grind," Dave said, getting to his feet. 

He filed out of the cafeteria with the Numbers, Seven and Three on either side of him as Two, Five, and One led the way. Dave stopped however and said to them, "Talk to Four."

"We will," Three assured him. 

"As soon as we can get away," Seven added. 

"Oh?" Dave said, raising an eyebrow at her. 

Seven had her hands in her pocket and she said, "I'm interviewing for a new position here at the Commission tomorrow morning." 

"Well don't keep me in suspense, Seven," said Dave. "Which position?"

"Switchboard Operator," she replied. 

Dave wasn't entirely familiar with the switchboard, but he knew that only the best and the brightest were allowed near it. He grinned and clapped her on the shoulder, saying, "We'll have to have another celebration when you get the job." 

"I don't have it yet," she said, looking down at her shoes.

"I'm sure you will though. I'll bet you a quarter you get it," Dave said.

"Okay."

Three smiled at Seven and put an arm around her, saying, "See you later, Gadget."

"Have a good afternoon ladies. And tell the boys they need to relax," Dave said.

He went back to his room, deciding he'd better look up whoever Tiffany or Debbie Gibson were. If this was something One and Two argued about he wanted to have an informed opinion the next time they went at it. As he settled down at the radio however, he couldn't help but wonder about their missing brother. 

Was that who Five had been talking about the first time they'd gone out for drinks? Their recalcitrant relative? It seemed likely. Dave was a little annoyed that he hadn't met Four. The Numbers had been at the Commission for two months now, and while he saw them all the time he hadn't seen hide nor hair of Four. 

Perhaps Four was like Dave's own father. A hard ass who always had to have his way, and that's why he was isolated from the others. Though if that were the case it sounded like he'd butt heads with One and Two all the time since they had the same attitude. There was also the question of Four's drinking and drug use. While Dave was no expert in the area, it did seem strange he only started again after being reunited with his family.

Dave settled on the couch with a couple mission files, the radio playing in the background. A girl with a husky voice singing about being alone. Dave had to admit, One might have been on to something. 

* * *

Ever since Klaus started talking to the ghosts, the rest of his team went from annoyed to terrified of him. It all started with Klaus manifesting Scarlet, who upon becoming visible decided to scare the living daylights out of one of the Ryans. Klaus had been working on his powers, sitting on his bunk and trying to concentrate. The blue glow from his hands steadily increased, and Klaus let out a laugh when Scarlet appeared.

"Rad," Scarlet said, looking at their hands. "I can touch things now, right?"

"Yeah of course."

That was when the door opened. Ryan Two came in and upon seeing Klaus said, "What are you up to, freak?" 

Scarlet grabbed him by his shirt sleeve and pushed him against the wall. "You call him that one more time and I'm gonna eat your face." 

Ryan looked at the ghost, then at Klaus, his face draining of blood. He then ran out of the room yelling about ghosts. Klaus giggled and let his powers relax, Scarlet fading from view. At least the view of normal people. They hauled themselves up onto the bunk and sat next to Klaus, saying, "That's a pretty awesome power you've got there." 

"I guess," Klaus mumbled, looking at his hands. 

"What's the matter?" Scarlet asked. 

"Do you ever think that maybe your entire life is a not very funny joke?" 

"I'm dead."

"Question still stands." 

Scarlet sighed and ran a hand through their hair. "When I was still alive, yeah. Though now I kinda feel like I'm in hell."

"What? Why?" Klaus asked. 

"Can't move on. I know my brother and sister are on the other side, if they were here on Earth still I should be able to find them no matter what time or place. But they're gone. And I want to see them more than anything and I'm still stuck here," Scarlet said. 

Klaus could relate. He'd give his right eye if it meant seeing his siblings again. He turned to Scarlet and asked, "Do you want me to help you move on?"

Scarlet looked him up and down, then sighed again. "If you think you can." 

Klaus rolled his shoulders, tilted his head from side to side, then turned so he was facing Scarlet, sitting cross-legged on the bed. "You said the one thing you wanted to do was haunt the man who killed you, right?"

"Yeah."

"But you also said he's a vegetable."

"Figuratively speaking, yes."

He frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It's a long story."

"Because it sounds like you want revenge and you can't get it, that's why you're still here." 

"Thank you, oh wise master of the obvious. Do you have a point?" 

Klaus let out a sigh. "This would be so much easier if I had one of my sisters here. They're better at like, touchy-feely stuff. Look, this guy who murdered you, what was happening at the time?" 

"Nothing," Scarlet said. "Seriously, nothing. I was out on the town with some friends. Then this guy comes up to me and asks if I wanna slip away for a few. And he's… Hot. Super hot. I thought I was finally getting lucky. Then when we get in the alley he puts a gun to my head and blam! The next thing I remember is you showing up to cart my carcass away."

"Jesus," Klaus whispered. 

"Yeah, it sucked. Then I figured, oh well I can follow this weirdo and find the guy. Make his life a living hell. Then when I finally tracked him down in the maze here, I find he's in a fucking coma and ain't gonna come out of it. Guess he ran into trouble on a job or something. And that bullet to the head? I can't remember most of my life or my name because of it. That's when I figured out I'm stuck in this God-forsaken place with a bunch of other Caspers and you. I've never been so angry in my life." 

He shook his head. "I can't even imagine, I'm so sorry." 

"Me too. Hey, I'm really sorry about when I first got here. I was so pissed I didn't know what to do and I took it out on you when I shouldn't have. You're a pretty cool dude." 

Klaus was about to respond when both the Ryans and Johnson rushed into the room. Klaus frowned as Johnson said, "All right Hargreeves, what did you do?" 

"Uh, nothing?" 

"There was a ghost, and he summoned it!" Ryan said.

"What, you mean this one?" Klaus concentrated and was able to bring Scarlet back into full view once again. Scarlet jumped down from the bunk and stalked menacingly towards Johnson and the Ryans, who were practically falling over themselves trying to get away. 

Scarlet singled out Johnson, who was the team leader and slammed him into the wall. "You listen to me, punk," Scarlet hissed. "You and your buddies are gonna leave him alone from now on, you got me? No name-calling, no sticking him with the hard jobs. You treat him right or I'll rip you open and fry your insides in a skillet while you watch. You got me?" 

Johnson was trembling, holding his hands up as he said, "Yeah, I got it!" 

"Good," Scarlet said, pushing Johnson away. "Now get out of here, we're talking." 

They left.

Klaus laughed and reached out to high five Scarlet, who was chuckling in amusement.

"They'll leave you alone now." 

"They kind of already did but thanks for sticking up for me." 

Scarlet however was looking at their hands. They appeared to be fading, and not by Klaus's power. "Huh… I guess I just needed a win. Even if it was a really crappy win." 

"It's still a win," Klaus assured them. "Enjoy heaven, tell Ben I said hi." 

And Scarlet was gone. 

Klaus's eyelids drooped and he found himself face down on the bunk, out like a light before he'd even known that he was tired. 

After that, Klaus was alone in the dorm. The Ryans and Johnson wouldn't talk to him. They certainly did not want to be around him. They put a cot in the other room and the Ryans and Johnson shared sleeping quarters. 

Which suited Klaus fine, though it did mean that he was alone more often than ever. Even when they were out on disposal jobs, they avoided him like the plague. He was surprised that Johnson hadn't reported the incident. 

But what was there to report? A ghost? Even if their supervisor knew about Klaus's powers (and it was very clear she didn't) what were they gonna do? Call the Ghostbusters? It would be so much easier if Klaus could have a drink, or a line of something, _anything_ that might take the edge off.

What was making things worse was Klaus was spending more time with the ghosts than anyone. 

Cal and Libby were great. Cal was the awed little brother that Klaus had never had and Libby was like a less vapid version of his own mother. She mollycoddled him but she also told him when he was going too far and didn't stand for it. 

He was thinking about something nice he could do for them. Help them move on, though his sudden unconsciousness after Scarlet vanished did worry him. It was like Klaus had been a battery that was completely drained of energy, and that had scared the shit out of him. So he needed to think of something else.

It was while he was thinking that he suddenly ran into someone, and he said, "Oh, sorry."

"My fault--"

He paused. "Luther?" 

"Klaus," he exclaimed, surprise written all over his face. 

"Hey! I haven't seen you since we got here," Klaus said. "What have you been up to?" 

"Uh, working," Luther replied, gaze shifting past Klaus. "I should get going."

"Wait a tick," said Klaus. "I haven't seen you or any of the others in like, months! You know they won't' even let me out of the dorms here? It's bullshit."

Luther gave a nervous sort of laugh and said, "Well, regulations and everything. Klaus, really, I have to--"

"I mean what is this, the Middle Ages? Are the peasants not allowed near the royals or something?" Klaus knew that Luther was trying to get away from him. The polite thing would be to let him go. Except Klaus was so lonely that even pestering Luther was better than another day spent talking only to the dead. 

"Klaus--" There was the warning tone, the one that meant Klaus should back off.

Which Klaus cheerfully ignored. "I can't even imagine what it's like for you guys. Has Diego found that crazy chick yet? How's Allison doing? Did Five stage a takeover?"

"Just because you're not busy doesn't mean I'm not busy, I have to go!" Luther shoved Klaus out of the way and stormed off down the hall. 

He shoved so hard that Klaus hit the wall, his head snapping back and making his vision go black for a moment. He slumped to the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Klaus watched Luther go, his heart sinking into his shoes. 

"Klaus, honey?" 

He looked up to see Libby staring at him with concern. "You've got a little…" She trailed off, pointing to the side of her mouth.

Klaus wiped at it with his sleeve, unsurprised to see blood. He'd bitten his lip pretty hard when Luther had shoved him. He was glad that no one besides her had seen what had just happened. Klaus tried to get up, but he couldn't quite get his feet under himself and he ended up falling on his ass.

"I hate my life," Klaus muttered sadly. 

Libby sat next to him. "I'm sure he was just in a hurry, but he shouldn't have hurt you like that." 

"He doesn't know his own strength most of the time," Klaus conceded. And logically, he knew that was what happened. It didn't make it sting any less. "You'd think I had anthrax or something, he couldn't wait to get away from me."

She sighed. "I'm really sorry, honey."

"Me too," Klaus said. The hallway was still deserted, so Klaus took his cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one. He offered the pack to Libby.

"Even if I could smoke that I wouldn't," she said. "Those things will kill you."

"Never heard that one before," Klaus replied.

He sat on the floor, staring at the wall opposite as he smoked. His thoughts drifted back to the last time someone he loved clocked him. Dave of course was a kid and being influenced by his super homophobic uncle. He'd found Klaus and apologized, then ripped his heart right out again when he announced he'd already enlisted. 

Klaus was toying with Dave's dog tag when Libby asked, "What are those?" 

"This?" He held up the chain so she could see. "They belong to someone."

"A friend?" 

"My lover," Klaus admitted, then looked at Libby. "Hope you don't mind haunting a flaming homo."

She snorted. "Honey I knew when I met you that you were light in the loafers. I had an uncle like you. Sweetest man you'd ever want to meet, and so gentle. He was eccentric too, I think you two would have gotten along." Libby nodded at the tags. "Was he eccentric?"

"Dave? Fuck no, far from it," Klaus said and chuckled, dropping the chain back under his shirt. "Dave was probably the most ordinary guy I'd ever met. Except for one thing."

"What was that?"

"He was the most loving man on the planet." Klaus smiled as he thought of their first meeting. "See I accidentally dropped in on him and his unit during the Vietnam War. I stole one of those briefcase things from a couple of assholes who were torturing me and thought hey, maybe it's got money. And instead, I get dropped in the 1960s in front of the most beautiful man I'd ever seen." 

Libby smiled at that. "An unusual way to meet a person."

"Yeah but… I think fate brought us together. Because out of all the time periods and locations in the whole wide world, I end up in the middle of a stupid war with the love of my life," Klaus replied. He finished his cigarette and ground it out on the marble floor. He then did something so humiliating that it made Klaus want to scream.

He started crying.

"Oh honey, please don't cry, I don't have a handkerchief," she said, getting on her knees next to him. 

Klaus hid his face with his hands and sobbed, saying, "I'll never see him again. He died in Vietnam right in front of me. And then when I ended up getting sent back in time again, I tried to stop him from joining the military. It just made him sign up sooner and I lost him a second time. I made him hate me, he thought I was trying to con him." 

He felt cool hands on his shoulders, and though tears were still running down his face, he looked up. 

Libby was solid, and looking at him with both pity and grief. She pulled him into a tight hug and stroked his hair, saying, "I'm so sorry for you, honey. But you did your best."

Klaus was unashamedly sobbing into this poor ghost woman's shoulder. "I love him so much, and he's dead. And no matter what I do I'm never going to see him again or I'm gonna get him killed. It's not fair." 

"I know," she cooed, still petting his hair. 

They stayed like that for what felt like ages. No one approached, as it was the end of the workday and everyone else had returned to their quarters. 

When Klaus finally calmed down, he was wiping at his face with the sleeves of his jumpsuit. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to--"

"It's okay," she replied. "I think you've probably been holding that in for a long time."

Klaus gave a strangled laugh. "Oh, only since 1968."

"Come on, honey. Let's get you some dinner. I think you should go to bed early." 

This time, Klaus didn't wobble when he got to his feet. He found his way to the elevator and pressed the button for his floor. He wished he could see Diego or Allison or Vanya. Klaus bitterly hoped that Luther said something. Maybe they'd scold Luther for blowing him off. 

Then he remembered Luther strangling him and throwing him across the room at the Academy and knew that they wouldn't. 

When they reached his floor, Klaus went into the common room to use the microwave. He wasn't much of a cook and the only thing he really knew how to make was quesadillas, which he was not in the mood for. When he walked in, the Ryans and Johnson fell quiet and Klaus held in a sigh. 

"Anyone want anything while I'm up?" Klaus asked. He figured it couldn't hurt to be friendly.

"No, not at all," one Ryan said, the other not daring to speak.

"Don't trouble yourself," Johnson said, a distinct tremble in his voice.

Libby sighed, which they couldn't hear. "They just need to get used to you."

"They are used to me, that's the problem," Klaus told her. 

He got a tin of soup out, poured it into a bowl, and popped it in the microwave. Once it was done he took the soup into what was now his room. Calling it a room did seem laughable since Klaus had seen bigger closets. 

As he settled onto the bottom bunk, sipping the soup and staring at the wall, he asked Libby, "Do you think… Do you think you could find Dave for me?"

"I'm sorry honey, but I'd have no idea how to do that," she told him.

Klaus sighed. "Worth a shot." 


	5. i'm trying, i'm trying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't yell at me. The eagerly anticipated event is next chapter.

He was just starting to get used to their weirdness when it happened. Seven did in fact get the job on the infinite switchboard, with a shot at a management position in a year. Dave asked if Five had any ambitions in that direction and he said, "Absolutely not." And had a little smirk on his face like he knew something that Dave didn't. 

Dave still met them for lunch or for drinks at least twice a week. It was getting more difficult to find time in his schedule. While he wasn't being overworked by Dot, he was getting more complex missions that were taking days or even weeks for him to accomplish. The Jake Bishop case had been especially challenging as the man seemed to be everywhere and nowhere. He chose to live off the grid and was a nuisance to the timeline. 

When it was finished, he came back to his rooms to see a note waiting from Three. Inside was scrawled the movie theater and a time, with a question mark at the bottom. He picked up his phone and called her saying he would be there. 

The movie was a spaghetti western, one that Dave was pretty sure he'd seen in theaters. He'd had a thing for cowboys when he was younger that even as an adult he still hadn't gotten over. Dave assumed it was because he was from Texas and most men from Texas liked cowboys in one way or another. When it was over, they went to the lounge to have drinks. 

It was odd though, they were having more and more of these little get-togethers, schedules permitting. And each time, they would ask Dave odd questions about procedure, equipment, things that they could easily look up themselves. Almost like they were trying to gauge something about the Commission. Though what, Dave had no idea. This didn't appear to be the agenda for the evening, however, they were all drinking quite a bit and having fun. 

"So what have you been up to lately?" Dave asked Five. 

"Assassinating the same man over and over in twelve separate timelines. I'm starting to get bored," Five said and Dave rolled his eyes. 

"Oh poor you. What about you, Three?" 

"Nothing much, just a few rumors to keep the Industrial Revolution on track. Not sure that's the wisest idea though," she said, sipping her cocktail. 

Dave looked around to see if anyone else had heard that, but the lounge was packed and no one was paying them any particular mind. Three was already tipsy, Two and One were well on their way to drunk and busy playing poker. Seven on the other hand was drinking only ginger ale and watching the room. 

"Anything special on your end?" Five asked Dave, drawing his attention back to the conversation.

"No, not really. There's the Bishop case which hasn't been a barrel of fun. Also, I have some rudimentary designs for a new thermal activated neutralizer but I'm not going to be able to test those properly for another four weeks or so. R&D has partnered with Metaphysics and they're working on something new so they need all available lab space." 

Five and Seven exchanged glances, and Seven said, "I didn't hear anything about that." 

Dave shrugged. "It's in the company newsletter they send out every month."

"There's a newsletter?" Two asked, finally taking his attention off the poker game. 

"Yeah. The Commission Mission, it's in your mailbox the first Saturday of every month. A big yellow broadsheet, you can't miss it," Dave told him. 

"Where are the mailboxes?" Asked Three.

"I can show you now if you want." Dave pushed his drink aside and stood up. Truthfully, he wasn't in the mood for drinking, at least not any more than he already had. He had a lot on his mind these days, and it wasn't just the job that was doing it. He was also thinking about his unit in Vietnam, and the circumstances that led him to work for the Commission in the first place. 

The Numbers exchanged glances, then they each got up. One and Two put the cards away while Three went to settle their tab. Once she returned she said, "Lead the way."

So he did. He left the lounge and boarded the elevator so they could get to the clerical level. Dave swayed a little and Two put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Easy."

"Huh," said Dave, rubbing his cheek. It felt a bit numb. "I didn't think I had that much to drink."

"Delayed effect," Five replied. "You don't know how much you've had until you stop. Especially when you're drinking vodka." 

He didn't argue the point as he assumed Five knew what he was talking about. It was eerie talking to him since he spoke and sounded like an old man. And yet he was in the body of a teenager who'd only just hit puberty. Really all of them were so bizarre in so many different ways, with probably the exception of Seven. She seemed pretty normal in comparison to the other numbers. A little quiet, sure, but normal.

When they reached clerical, Dave said, "Sorry for not including this in the tour, I kind of assumed that you already knew about it." 

"I'm guessing it was probably put in after my first tenure of employment," said Five. 

Dave turned down the hall and they arrived at the mailboxes. 

There were thousands of them, one for each employee, and the hallway seemed to stretch on into forever. Each brass door was shaped like a little doorway, with a number printed on it. Dave asked, "Do any of you have your room keys?" 

"Me," Seven said, holding hers up. He could see 2187 written on the tag. 

"Okay this way," he replied and started to walk.

"What, you know all the mailboxes?" One scoffed.

"As a matter of fact I do," Dave replied. 

Two blinked at that. "What? Why?" 

"Because when I first started working here I didn't have any friends so I had to entertain myself somehow. I have the entire layout of the Commission memorized as well as learning how to use technology from every era," said Dave.

"Wow," said Three, and she gave him a teasing smile. "You must have been really bored."

"My choir teacher used to say only boring people get bored," Dave countered.

"Your choir teacher sounds like a boring person," Five muttered, which startled a laugh out of everyone. 

When they found the mailbox, Dave said to Seven, "Here you are. I'm sorry I won't be able to find everyone else's without your keys or room numbers."

"We're still sharing an apartment," Three explained.

Dave raised an eyebrow, "Really? I would think with all of you growing up together you'd want to spend a little time on your own."

"Been there, done that, got stuck in the apocalypse," Five replied.

"You what?" 

Five looked up at him, and said, "I got stuck in the apocalypse. One of them, anyway. I traveled forward in time with my own powers but exceeded my reach and couldn't get back. I grew up there alone."

Dave looked down at him and said, "Gosh, I'm so sorry." 

"It's nothing," Five muttered.

"The hell it is," Two said and One nodded in agreement. 

"We've spent too much time on our own," One said. "Being apart made us more vulnerable. Now, we spend as much time together as we can so we can be a family again."

At that Dave tilted his head in confusion. "All six of you?" 

"Oh, uh… Four is still living separately," Seven said. "But we're hoping he can move in with us." 

"When he dries out," Two said quietly. 

Dave noticed however that One had a rather guilty look on his face. Before he could ask, though, Seven had opened the mailbox and said, "How'd they manage to cram this much in here?" 

When he looked, Dave couldn't help but laugh. Letters were literally pouring out of the mailbox. They had a hell of a time gathering everything up, and once they had Dave said, "Excuse me a moment, I should check my own mail." 

He was still a bit loopy, but he was starting to sober. He found his mailbox four sections down and opened it. There wasn't much in there. The newsletter, his bank statement, that was about it. Except for one thing that made him raise an eyebrow. "It's about time," he muttered, taking out a yellow envelope. 

Dave didn't time travel on company time. While he was aware he was within his rights to do so for vacation, he always found he was too busy to really use his paid time off. There was something that had been bothering him since he'd signed up for the Commission though, and it was the cult guy.

He hadn't forgotten him, and he'd hoped that Dot would be able to track him down through the proper channels. Dave wanted to make sure that he was all right, that he lived a good and happy life despite everything that had happened, and after what Dave had done. His heart was in his throat as he opened the letter, nearly ripping it as he got the envelope open.

As his eyes scanned the contents, his hopeful smile turned into a frown. 

"Everything okay?" 

He looked up and saw that Two had followed him. 

"Sure, everything's swell," Dave replied, though he crumpled the paper in his hand. 

"What's the matter with you?" 

"Request was denied." Dave closed and locked his mailbox. "We should head back, this place is a real maze at night."

He tried to walk past Two, who stopped him and asked, "Come on, what's going on with you? Talk to me." 

He rubbed his eyes, feeling more tired than he'd felt in months. Dave then said, "I was hoping that my boss would be able to find someone for me. She says she can't because his location's top secret or some other bureaucratic bullshit. I thought maybe now that I'm three years into my contract I might have a little leeway but I'm still not high enough on the food chain."

"A special someone?" Two asked. "Like a girl?"

"A girl? You're barking up the wrong tree, Two," Dave snorted and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about it." He managed to push past Two and walk down the hall. Two followed, hot on his heels. 

When they found the other Numbers again, it was to see them carrying stacks of mail. One was frowning at Two and he said, "We could have used your help." 

"Thought Gadget might need assistance," Two replied, and took one of the stacks from Seven. 

"Oh yeah, he's just burdened down with…" Five trailed off then looked at Dave. "Is that a temporal request?" 

Dave hadn't realized he still had the letter in his hand. He sighed and said, "Yes." 

"Who were you trying to find?" 

"I'd rather not talk about it," he said. 

"If it's someone close to you, we'd like to help," Three said. "You've helped us more times than we can count."

He almost said no. But as he stared at the letter, yet another denial, he could admit to himself he wanted to know. Even if it meant getting himself in trouble. So he said, "Okay, but if we get caught, it's my fault. I don't want any of you getting chewed out because of me." 

"Oh, by all means, we'll make sure to put all the blame on you," Two teased. 

"C'mon, we need to find somewhere private to talk." 

They headed upstairs to the apartment the Numbers shared together. Once the room was secure, Dave said, "I'm trying to find the guy who saved my life." 

"What do you know about him?" One asked. 

"Tall, skinny, has kinda scraggly brown hair, a goatee, green eyes. I think his last name is Harkness or Hargraves… Har-something. Dot mentioned it when she recruited me," Dave described. "I met him in 1963 right before I signed up for the Marines. He said I was going to die when I got shipped off to Vietnam. I didn't believe him because, well… I thought he was a con artist." 

The Numbers were exchanging glances, and Dave wasn't sure that he liked it. Almost like they were suspicious. Three then asked, "Where was this?" 

"Dallas, Texas," Dave told her. "I never got his name, the people handing out pamphlets of him called him the Prophet. It's why I thought he was lying, I assumed he was attempting to lure me into his cult." 

Three's eyes widened, and she looked at Five and Two, who in turn looked at One and Seven. Dave wasn't stupid, he knew what that meant. "You know him." 

Seven opened her mouth, but Five talked over her, saying, "Yes, we've heard of the cult. Destiny's Children." 

"That's him," Dave said. 

"And did he save your life?" Seven asked, then bit her lip, almost like she was afraid to speak up. 

Dave rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn't sure he should be saying this, but he was feeling desperate after yet another denial. "I have a different contract than the standard five years. It was either accept and live or don't and die. I wasn't supposed to walk up that hill and back again. I think him trying to change things was enough to put just one iota out of place on the cosmic scale and that's why I lived."

"Like a butterfly flapping its wings," Five concluded. 

"Yeah exactly." 

"So why are you trying to find him?" Three asked. 

"I think… I think wherever he's from we were together Romantically," said Dave. "He knew things I'd never told anyone. He knew when I was going to sign up and tried to talk me out of it. Twice, as a matter of fact. But I'd already gone to the enlistment office and he looked so… Heartbroken. I just wish I could remember his name."

"So why now?" Five asked. "Why try to find him now and not when your contract is up?" 

"I want to thank him while I still can. Once I retire I doubt they're gonna let me take a briefcase with me," Dave pointed out. 

One and Two were having some sort of staring contest. Seven was hugging her arms and worrying her lip so much Dave thought she might bite through it. Meanwhile, Three and Five were having a staring contest, which ended with Three saying, "We might know where to find him." 

"But it's going to take some time," Five added. "I'll take you to him myself."

"You'd do that for me?" Dave asked. 

"Of course. You're a friend of the family now," said Five. 

"I can't tell you how much this means to me," Dave replied and held out his hand. Five shook it and Dave added, "Thank you." 

"Not at all, I haven't actually done anything yet." Five smiled at him. 

"It's getting late though, we should hit the hay. I have to be up at 0500," One said. 

Dave took out his pocket watch and checked it, then whistled. "Yeah, I have a briefing in the AM myself. I'll see you later. Night everyone." 

There were a few more goodbyes and Dave was on his way out. However, before the door shut he heard someone say softly, "What the fuck are we going to do?" And then the click of the latch. 

He looked over his shoulder, then headed to his own apartment. 

They knew more than they were telling him. And while he didn't think they were going to screw him over, it made him suspicious. Dave didn't want to rock the boat just yet. Let them lead him to the cult guy, then after that, he'd be asking about four hundred questions. Including what the hell they were really doing at the Commission. 

* * *

Klaus was practically skipping as he went to his room. He hadn't had a day off since he'd arrived at the Commission, and now he had a full 24 hours to do whatever he liked. Johnson and the Ryans were off too but who gave a flying fuck about them? Klaus knew exactly what he wanted to do. Food with the family, maybe a board game.

It was a relief, really. Not just because he needed a day off, but because he needed advice. He'd been sober since he arrived, and lately, that was becoming more and more of a problem. And not just because a good chunk of Klaus's personality depended on substance abuse. Kidding, of course. 

No, the issue was with his abilities. He still didn't have control over them and didn't know where to start. Aside from Libby and Cal, there were ghosts following him around constantly. It was making it difficult to get his work done, and he wanted to show his brothers and sisters he was making an effort. Even if they hadn't spoken to him much in the past few months. 

He wanted to be able to walk up to them and say, "See? I did it. Also please help, I'm worried the ghosts are going to kill me." 

It was a legitimate fear. Given that several of the ghosts he'd acquired were pissed about the Commission killing them, they took great pleasure in tormenting Klaus. They'd scream, tear at his hair and clothes, wake him up, terrorize him in any way they could. 

Cal, Libby, and a few other ghosts were helpful in keeping them at bay. The problem was he wasn't sure how long they could do it, and he didn't want to rely only on them.

Klaus knew he needed his siblings. Maybe they'd have some ideas about how he could control his powers. Maybe they'd be willing to train him. Klaus had never been interested in developing his powers. He found them frightening and burdensome. But maybe Ben had been right. He needed to grow up and learn some self-control. Which would extend to his powers. Probably. Klaus didn't know, he was winging it. 

Once Klaus changed into something a little more him (black jeans, a rainbow-striped tank top, Converse sneakers, purple ostrich feather vest, the dog tags, and some eyeliner) he went in search of his long lost siblings. 

Of course, a few people stared. His outfit definitely stood out in the Commission. Which was fine, Klaus didn't care if they stared. He looked pretty that day and he knew it. He wasn't quite sure where to find anyone, so he started with the hallway where he'd run into Luther. Okay, Luther had thrown him into a wall. But Klaus was sure he was sorry. 

He'd timed it almost perfectly. It was nearly lunchtime for the rest of the Commission so he hoped he'd get to see at least one of his sisters or brothers. Or maybe even all of them. Except, he had this weird sort of nervous feeling in his stomach like he'd just swallowed a carnivorous butterfly. 

"I dunno why this is freaking me out so much," Klaus said to Libby, who was accompanying him today. Cal was busy running interference so the rest of the ghosts wouldn't intrude and Klaus owed him big time. He was so gonna make sure that kid went to heaven. 

"When's the last time you talk to any of them? Besides the incident with Luther?" Libby asked. 

Klaus frowned and said, "It's been a while, really. I'll see them around but we don't stop to chat."

Libby was frowning and she crossed her arms. "So when's the last time you had a conversation with them?"

He knew the answer, and he didn't like it. "When I was in the hospital."

She gave a small hum, but she was pursing her lips like she was trying to keep herself from saying something. 

He went in the direction Luther had been going that day. With the rush Luther had been in Klaus assumed that this direction had to lead to where his siblings worked. There were several offices on either side of the hall. Some with only one person in them. Others with several people crammed together at separate desks. He would only peak in briefly to see if he recognized anyone then head to the next office.

it was when the whistle sounded, announcing lunch that he finally found Diego. He was strolling down the hall and when he saw Klaus he raised an eyebrow.

"They let you dress like that in Sanitation?" He asked.

Klaus chuckled and said, "Nope, but I'm not working today so I can dress however I want! Lunch?" 

Diego shook his head. "Not today." He clapped Klaus on the shoulder and walked right through Libby. 

She was glaring at his back and said, "Rude, he didn't even say why."

"Man of few words. Come on if Diego's here then Luther's gotta be nearby somewhere." 

About four doors down he found Luther sitting at a desk and reading something in a manila folder. He was eating a sandwich and frowning at what he saw. Klaus skipped into the room and said, "Number One!" In a frankly fantastic impersonation of their father.

Luther jumped and dropped his sandwich, shooting to his feet. When he saw Klaus he scowled and said, "Don't do that."

"Sorry," Klaus lied, not sorry at all. "Wanna go to lunch with me?" 

"Klaus, I'm really busy right now," Luther replied, sitting at the desk again. He picked up his sandwich and added, "I don't have time for your games."

"What games? I haven't seen you guys in months and I've got some extra money. I figure why not spread the wealth?" he asked. Klaus sat on the edge of the desk, reading the papers that Luther was hunched over. "Why are you reading about time paradoxes?" 

Luther looked up again, and he said in a warning tone, "Klaus, I'm serious, I have a lot of work to do and I don't need you around screwing it up." His cheeks were slightly red, and Klaus knew that expression. Luther only made that face when he was trying to hide something. 

Libby was glaring at Luther and she said, "Well that's a fine thing to say to your brother you big ape! Don't you know how difficult things have been for him?" 

"Forget about it, he's not worth it," Klaus said to her. He jumped off the desk and said, "Come on, let's go."

"Who are you talking to?" Luther asked. Klaus chose not to answer and left the office. And it was only 40% out of pettiness. Luther didn't answer his questions, Klaus didn't have to answer any of Luther's. 

As he strolled down the hall, Libby was fuming. 

"The nerve of that man! Didn't your father raise any of you with manners?" He'd never seen Libby so steamed.

"He tried but he was more focused on torturing us than proper etiquette," Klaus told her. 

"Well if I ever meet Sir Reginald Hargreeves I'm going to have a word with him. If my son acted the way your brother did, I'd send him to his room without supper," she said. 

It was really sweet how defensive Libby got over him. "Let's see if we can find Five or one of the girls." 

And just like that, Five was approaching them. 

Klaus raised an eyebrow and said, "Should I try finding a unicorn next?" 

Libby laughed. 

"Klaus, what are you doing here?" Five asked. He stopped in front of Klaus and crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation. 

"I did want to ask my favorite siblings to lunch but so far not having any luck. What about you, wanna come?" 

Five sighed and said, "This really isn't a good time." 

Okay, now he was starting to get annoyed. "So when is a good time? You know, I don't get a lot of days off and I haven't seen you guys in forever. I'd like to spend some time with you."

"Why?" Five asked, rolling his eyes.

"What do you mean why?" Klaus was confused. 

"Let me rephrase, what do you want?" He had uncrossed his arms and now shoved his hands in his pockets. "I know you, Klaus, you don't seek us out unless you want something. If it's drugs or alcohol you're wasting your time." Rude, even for Five. Klaus, despite his acting otherwise, was not stupid. What the hell was going on with his brothers? Sure they belittled him and didn't take him seriously but this felt like a completely different ball game. 

"I'm not," Klaus said and glared at Five. Maybe rising to the bait wasn't the best idea, but now he was angry. "And by the way that was a real dick move with the commissary." 

"It's for your own good," Five said. 

"You could have asked me first!" 

"The last thing you need is to be wandering around a building with actual time machines in them so drunk you can't spell your name."

"Oh so when I'm day drinking it's a problem but when you're day drinking it's cool, huh?" 

Five's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

Klaus leaned over so he was eye level with Five, grabbed his tie, pulled him forward, and sniffed. "Way to be a hypocrite scotch for breath." 

He vanished, then reappeared behind Klaus. "Don't do that again." There was an edge to his voice, definitely a threat.

He turned to face Five and paused. Five wasn't meeting his eyes either. He was looking either at Klaus's ear or his neck. He reached out, grabbed Five's jaw, and turned his face so he had to meet Klaus's eyes. "What are you up to?" 

Five slapped his hand away. "Whatever you're after, I'm not going to help you. Stop wasting my time." And then Five disappeared again. 

"So, he's totally hiding something," Klaus muttered. 

"What a beastly little boy," Libby said.

"He's 58." 

She rolled her eyes. "He is not." 

"No, really, he's 58 and grew up alone in a post-apocalypse hellscape."

"Hmph, I suppose that explains it. But this isn't an apocalypse, he could at least attempt to be polite." 

Klaus now wasn't sure he actually wanted to try finding his sisters. after the rejection from all three of his brothers. Now he was just a glutton for punishment. And not the fun kind of whips and chains punishment. He sighed and asked Libby, "Do you think maybe I should just go back to my room?" 

"We've come this far," she replied. "It's still Vanya and Allison you need to talk to, right?" 

"Yeah. Come on."

Klaus was milling about aimlessly. The rest of the workers had cleared out, and were probably well on their way to whatever it was the Commission drones did when seeking sustenance. By pure coincidence, Klaus literally ran into Allison as he turned a corner. 

"Oh, fuck, I'm sorry!" Klaus said since she'd dropped the files she was carrying. He knelt down and started to help her pick them up. 

"Klaus, hi," she said, giving him a questioning look. "Everything okay?" 

"Yeah, just, y' know, our brothers have testosterone poisoning so I thought I'd come to see how my beautiful and perfect sisters are doing," Klaus said. As he helped her pick up a few papers, he noticed a few photographs among them. He picked one up that showed a house in the middle of nowhere. "What's this?" 

Allison snatched it from him and said, "It's for an assignment." There was a slight widening of her eyes however that made Klaus frown. 

"Okay, seriously what is going on?" He asked, getting to his feet. 

"What do you mean?" Allison asked, standing up as well. She had the papers all shoved in their proper folders again and was clutching them to her chest like she was worried Klaus would take them from her. He wanted to, just to be a dick. 

"Luther's reading about paradoxes, Diego's avoiding me, Five picked a fight with me so I wouldn't ask him why he was acting so weird and now you're getting all shifty-eyed too. What are you guys not telling me?" 

She sighed. "I'm sorry Klaus. We're all under a lot of pressure right now. The Commission doesn't exactly trust us, and if we're thrown out of here we wouldn't have anywhere to hide from the Sparrow Academy. I know we're giving you the short end of the stick right now but I promise we'll catch up with you later." 

This still didn't feel right. After he, Vanya, and Allison had their little party at Odessa's, Klaus thought maybe he was building real bonds with his sisters. Now it was as though that day never happened. And that hurt more than anything. Klaus didn't have the best relationship with his brothers, and he could admit that was his own fault. He thought they'd build a few tenuous bridges that day, between himself, Allison, and Vanya. 

He wanted to beg Allison for help. For a hug, for her to tell him it would be okay. He wanted to tell her he was scared, that his powers were growing and he had no control over them. Or how no one in Sanitation liked him (okay, his own fault, but still) and how alone he was. He wanted to tell her he was having nightmares, and they were making it impossible to sleep.

Klaus wanted her to understand how much he needed his family, especially without anything to numb his loneliness or his powers. But there was still something telling him she was hiding something, and that Allison wouldn't tell Klaus the truth. So instead, he did what he always did when he was hurt. He hid his feelings with humor. 

Klaus crossed his arms and said, "I guess I wouldn't know. Me being a lowly janitor and all." He dramatically held his hand to his forehead. "And my evil step-siblings won't let me go to the ball and dance with the prince. Because they're jealous I'm the pretty one, not the smart one." 

Allison laughed.

Libby snorted and said, "You seem plenty smart to me." Klaus ignored her.

He held his arm out to Allison. "Sure I can't tempt you to lunch? I'm buying." 

"I'm on my way out, But Vanya's office is down the hall, I don't think she's left yet. You could ask her," Allison said. She gave him a quick, one-armed hug (making sure to keep the files away from him) and left. 

"Yeah, thanks," Klaus replied. 

Libby was looking at him with concern. "Maybe we should go back. Cal and I can play Monopoly with you again if you'd like."

"No, I started this, I should see it through," he said. 

Klaus continued on but wasn't nearly as enthused as he had been when he started. He was pretty sure he knew what Vanya would say, but he had to try. At the end of the hall was a door with a glass window on it, and the window had 'Number Seven' painted on the outside. He rolled his shoulders and his neck, then started forward. 

He could hear music, and Klaus's heart dropped into his stomach. She was playing the violin.

Yeah, it had been months since he'd had his ass handed to him by Vanya in the FBI building. And literal years since she'd nearly killed him by draining his energy with her powers. Still, that was hard to forget, and it made him incredibly anxious. Klaus pressed on, knocking gently on the door before letting himself in.

Vanya paused and looked up at him. "Klaus." 

"Hey," he said. "Wanna go to lunch?" 

"I'm not really hungry," she replied. Damn it, she was avoiding his eyes too. What the hell?

"Wanna watch me eat lunch then? It's my first day off in forever and I'm having an epic craving for Mexican and my long lost siblings," he said. 

"The others are coming?" She sounded surprised. 

Klaus shook his head. "Nah, they kinda blew me off. By which I mean they totally did. Come on, I'm gonna gorge myself on tacos in the cafeteria. You can keep score of how many I eat." 

She had pulled her violin away from her chin and was holding it in one hand and her bow in the other. "I don't think that's a good idea right now, Klaus. I'm feeling out of control with my powers. I need to practice so I don't…" She trailed off.

"Blow up the building?" 

"Yeah, that." She winced.

This at least Klaus could understand, but in the same breath, it still hurt. "I know what you mean. Without booze or drugs, I'm having the worst time with ghosts around here. I mean except for Cal he's a nice kid." Libby cleared her throat and he smiled at her. "And Libby." 

"You can't control your powers?" She asked, eyebrows knit in concern.

"Nope, not a bit," Klaus replied. He did his best to sound cheerful, but it rang false in his own ears. 

She was looking at him, as though she were debating on what to say next. Finally, Vanya picked up the violin again and said, "I'm sorry but lunch is going to be over soon. I really need to finish before everyone comes back. I don't want to put them at risk. We'll talk later, I promise." She was poised, ready to play and it broke Klaus's heart.

He was being dismissed, and he didn't have enough energy in him to fight her on it or annoy her into paying attention to him. Klaus left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. A moment later he listened to the violin as it played a sweet but mournful tune. It perfectly matched his mood.

Libby stood next to Klaus and then pulled him into a hug. "Don't cry, honey." 

"I won't," he lied. His face was already wet. 


	6. to let you know just how much you mean to me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, so I'm doing a little better mental health wise today so I'm going to update you on a few things. This will be cross posted to my Tumblr.
> 
> The first of which is, I'm sorry but I may have to take a hiatus at some point in the near future. I'm not pleased with that as I wanted to continuously update every week. However, we have a bit of an issue in that I am moving to the other side of the country at the end of October and there's still quite a bit I have to do before then. Currently I'm working on mailing my things to a friend's house and let me tell you that has been an adventure. I'm hoping it won't come to that but if it does I'll let you know in the notes. 
> 
> Secondly, I'd like to advise everyone again to keep an eye on the tags. While I do have this story plotted out in a very detailed outline, I am still writing it so the tags will update in regards to characters and other sensitive subjects that might pop up. I'm doing my best to make sure everyone is forewarned as much as possible. Now, some tags I'm sitting on because of spoilers, so I'm not going to update those until the chapters themselves are posted so it's very important to read the tags before proceeding through a new chapter. 
> 
> Finally, again thank you so much to everyone who's been leaving comments and kudos. It makes me feel like I'm not entirely wasting my time writing this and it's good to know there are people as invested in this story as much as I am. And now, the moment you've all been waiting for... 
> 
> (Please don't kill me I promise things look up from here)

Such an ordinary Tuesday shouldn't have upended Dave's life the way that it did. 

There had been slow progress with the Numbers. They knew who his mystery man was, but weren't willing to give him a name or information until they were sure they could arrange a meeting. A bit strange, but they were strange people. Dave had been waiting for three years, he could wait a little longer if he needed to. 

Dave had also managed to close the Bishop case. It wasn't easy, but he'd done his job and Dot said there could even be a commendation in it for him. He didn't mention the denied request, and she didn't bring it up. This was good because Dave didn't think he could fake disappointment when he was so close to accomplishing his goal.

He was off roster again but would be receiving a new file soon. Dot said it would be his most complicated case yet, and she expected him to devote all of his time to it. When asked if she would give him some more details, she had smiled and said everything he needed to know would be in the packet once it arrived. Strangely, he wasn't going to be reviewing the packet alone. The Director himself would be reviewing it with him. 

"It's a very sensitive case, and you're our top Corrector," she said. "I'm sure that you can handle it."

He certainly hoped so. 

Now that he was out of rotation, he wasn't doing much. He'd caught a movie, watched a baseball game on television, tooled around with a new gadget he thought would help on missions. He had actually asked for Five's input since he knew his way around tech fairly well, and he'd given a couple ideas he thought would be helpful. Dave had to admit his suggestion for the gear system had been excellent. 

Dave also found himself spending more time with Two. While he liked all the numbers, Two was the most down to earth. Dave knew his power had something to do with trajectory control, which sounded interesting but Dave wasn't sure it was all that useful unless you were being shot at. He was soon proven wrong when he watched Two throw a knife and nail a hornet to the wall one day. 

They'd been hanging out more outside of Dave and the Numbers' movie nights and cocktail hours. They were even training together in the gym. It turned out that Two was a boxing expert, something that Dave had always meant to take up but never quite gotten around to. With Two teaching him (and he was a vicious son of a bitch but he was good) Dave had picked it up in no time.

Two and Dave had a standing appointment. Unless one or the other was needed elsewhere, they spent Tuesday mornings training together and then went to lunch with the rest of the Numbers. This morning had been no exception. 

"That's nice," Two said as Dave concentrated his jabs. "Remember to keep your wrist straight." 

"Doing my best," Dave replied and thrust his fist forward. 

Two circled him, then said, "Good. Ready to get in the ring?" 

"Aren't you getting bored with winning all the time?" Dave asked with a chuckle.

"Not just yet. Besides your weaving needs work and that's hard to do with a bag as your opponent. C'mon." 

"If you insist." 

And they did. After about four rounds, however, Dave was ready to stop for the day. Two had already clocked him pretty good and he was breathing hard. "Quitter," Two taunted. 

"Kiss my ass," Dave replied, but in good humor. 

"I'll leave that to your boyfriend," Two shot back.

Dave snorted. "C'mon, you know I'm not seeing anyone." 

"You chicken or something?"

"No." Dave rolled his eyes. Two raised an eyebrow and Dave shrugged. "Not scared so much as not interested. The few fellas I've met here who lean that way are paired up." 

"That's a shame. Come on, it's almost lunchtime." 

They hit the showers and headed to the cafeteria. 

He had just paid for his lunch and was on his way to the table where the Numbers were sitting. He'd decided to try something new today, instead of his usual hamburger and fries. Being from Texas, especially so close to Louisiana he knew what gumbo was. He was interested to see what the Commission did with it. It was when he saw something out of the corner of his eye that he paused and turned his head.

Dave froze in shock. 

In the lunch line, making a face at a rather bland looking hunk of meatloaf, was the cult guy. 

He was maybe twenty feet away, but that was him, of that Dave had no doubt. His hair was tied back, he wore one of the jumpsuits from Sanitation, and he was paler and thinner than when Dave had last seen him. He had dark circles under his eyes, and Dave wondered when was the last time the man had slept. He looked as though the life was draining right out of him, which puzzled Dave. 

The man he'd met eight years ago had been colorful. Sad, yes, but full of life and bursting with charisma. Now he looked as though someone had killed his parents, shot his dog, and stolen his horse. People were giving him a wide berth, and he appeared to be talking to himself. 

He wanted to move. Towards him, or away, he wasn't sure, but Dave was frozen in place. What the hell did Dave even say to him? Thank you for trying to save my life? Why were you so concerned about me? Who are you and where did you come from? A million questions formed and died on his tongue. 

As though sensing eyes on him, he looked up. His green eyes widened, and he stilled. If Dave didn't know any better, he'd think the man had seen a ghost. He stared, a look of longing and heartache that made Dave's stomach twist. He abandoned his lunch tray and started to walk toward Dave. There was a question on his lips like he didn't believe what was in front of his eyes. 

He willed himself to move. He wanted to talk to him, he had so many questions. However, he found his body turning in a different direction. Dave had dropped his tray, the gumbo spilling all over the floor and splashing his trousers. He winced, knowing the cleaning bill was going to be a pain in the ass. Such an ordinary thing to think about when the man who'd tried to save his life was right there. 

Dave found himself turning away, walking at as fast a pace as he could manage without being rude. People were staring at him, and then he heard the cult guy call his name. 

"Dave! Wait!" 

He ran. 

He dodged around fellow employees, who were looking around wondering what was causing the ruckus. Dave didn't care, he managed to weave around them and dash out of the cafeteria like the devil himself was after him. He sprinted down the hall, made a few turns, and was outside before he knew it. 

When he finally stopped, Dave found himself out by the parking lot. There weren't any cars there, of course, all personnel lived and worked inside. But it was something normal, and Dave suddenly found that he needed that. 

"Hey!" 

A hand came down on his shoulder, and Dave reacted without thinking. He grabbed the person's arm and pulled, throwing them onto their back. When he saw it was Two looking up at him, he said, "Oh, crap. I'm sorry. You surprised me."

"No shit," Two said, grumbling and getting to his feet. "What the hell was all that about?"

"He's here," Dave replied.

"Who is?"

"The cult guy. Just saw him in the cafeteria. He works here, Two," he said. When Two's expression didn't change, he said, "You did know."

"Come again?"

"When I asked you guys to help me find him. You knew who he was," he deduced.

Two was biting the inside of his cheek, and he said, "Yeah, we did." 

"Who is he?" 

"Remember that brother we were telling you about, the one who worked in another department with the drug problem?" 

Dave stared at him, then said, "That's Number Four?" 

"The one and only."

He didn't know what to say, so he started to walk. Two followed after him in silence. It was a lot to wrap his brain around. And there were a lot of warring emotions. The satisfaction that his hunch was correct, anger that he was kept in the dark, and the sting of betrayal that he was lied to by his friends. Finally, he asked, "Why not just tell me?"

"Four has blinders on when it comes to you. He literally endangered our mission to stop the apocalypse to try to save your life. He needs to focus on staying sober and clean," he concluded. 

"So your solution was to lie?" Dave had difficulty keeping the anger out of his voice.

"No. We were trying to figure out how to introduce you both without endangering you or him." Two sighed. "Look, we were worried if he knew about you that he would--" 

"Lose control because of me," Dave concluded. "And start drinking again."

Two raised an eyebrow, "Yes. How'd you guess?"

"Because he was sober as a judge when I met him at the hardware store. When I saw him again at the compound he was drunk as a skunk."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "After you punched him."

Dave winced. "Yeah." He was still ashamed of that. He'd been egged on by his uncle. Dave also knew from experience that if he didn't hit him, Uncle Brian would have. And Uncle Brian wouldn't have stopped at one hit. He'd wanted to explain that to Four when he'd tracked him down, but then they'd had their conversation and Four told Dave he was going to die. That had really thrown a wrench in things. 

"And you ran out just now when you saw him," Two pointed out. "That's going to hurt more than you hitting him." 

"He's gonna think I hate him," he said as it dawned on him.

"Or that you're afraid of him." 

He ran a hand through his hair, then said, "Look, I need to think for a bit before I try to talk to him. Would you… Would you tell him I'm sorry?" 

Two's jaw clenched, but he said, "I'll tell him you want to talk to him. I'm not apologizing for you." 

"That'll work too. Do you know what room he's in?"

"8467, Dorm A." 

"Thank you."

Dave walked away. What the hell was he going to do now? Why couldn't he be around Four without hurting him or putting his foot in his mouth? Four probably wouldn't want to talk to him after this, and Dave couldn't blame him. Dave was being an idiot. He couldn't even figure out why he'd run away. Not when the man he'd been waiting for years to see again was right in front of him. And Dave had run, tail tucked between his legs. 

He went to his favorite spot. Behind the Commission, there were vast grounds with spacious lawns and sidewalks that wove between little patches of flowers or shrubs. Trees lined the grass, and Dave liked one in particular. It was a tall oak tree with a boulder underneath it, perfect for sitting. Or to use as a step ladder to climb the tree itself. He hopped up on the rock, grabbed the lowest hanging branch, and hauled himself up.

Dave settled on one of the thicker branches and looked out over the grounds. It was a beautiful day, but they all were here. Specifically programmed that way. Dave knew the sky wasn't real, and it was disguising a black maw of nothing that surrounded them. He tried not to think about it too hard or it might scare him. 

The leaves of the trees were a perfect sage green, just like Four's eyes. Large, expressive eyes that reminded him of the Kewpie doll his mother had when he was a kid. There was nothing doll-like about Four, though. Sure he looked delicate, but there was something hard underneath. Dave knew that when he'd talked to him at the compound so long ago.

"Fuck," Dave muttered. 

Four was beautiful. Not pretty, not attractive, or cute. Dave often thought about his sensuous lips and how much he'd like to kiss them. He was not embarrassed to admit he'd touched himself a few times picturing Four under him. A nameless, beautiful man that Dave almost wished he'd stayed with. But what could he do, go AWOL? He'd signed up for service and made a commitment, Dave couldn't throw that away on a beautiful stranger. 

Dave knew he was drawn to him in their first meeting. The guy was eccentric, and Uncle Brian was right he was a queer. But so was Dave, and he'd learned long before he joined the Commission there was nothing wrong with being queer. It hadn't been an easy road, and there was no one to guide him. The few encounters he'd had were fumbling awkward messes that left him physically satiated but never fully satisfied. 

And there was Four's own condition to consider. Two said he had problems with drugs and alcohol, and they were concerned about Dave's influence on him. Dave wouldn't judge a man for such things, it was not his place to do so. Still, Dave couldn't help but wonder what had driven Four to think his only avenue was to slowly destroy himself. 

He thought of his mother, God rest her soul. She'd passed on just a few years after he'd enlisted, cirrhosis having done more damage than either of them knew. Dave had been given leave to attend the funeral, then shipped right back to Vietnam. It was the last time Dave had seen anyone in his family, and the only person he could really say he missed was his Mama. 

Maybe what Four needed was his family. Dave knew the Numbers spent more time with him than with their brother, and if they wanted him to get better that didn't seem right. There was a part of him that desperately wanted to take care of Four himself. But Four needed his siblings, and they needed him. He didn't need Dave mucking that up. In the same breath, it was odd to him that they talked about family but didn't include the one sibling who needed them the most. Dave knew he was getting angry again, and pushed it aside. He would have to deal with it later. 

He decided then he'd have a talk with Four, say all the things he should have said back in 1963, and that would be the end of it. He promised himself that was all, no meddling or trying to get in between the Numbers and whatever issues they needed to work out as a family. So simple even a child could follow that plan. Dave secretly hoped he could follow it too.

* * *

Over a week since the failed attempt to bond with his siblings and Klaus was feeling lifeless. No surprise considering the shit going down. After being badgered by Libby he'd agreed to at least get something to eat and was trying to find the cafeteria. He was unable to cook for himself or heat anything in the microwave. All his food looked so unappetizing since he'd been eating the same canned crap for months on end.

He wasn't doing much besides working and sleeping or at least trying to sleep. Hard to sleep when a fucking pirate kept ripping you out of bed and wailing on you. Klaus knew he was depressed, but when a person didn't have anyone but the dead to keep them company, it wasn't unexpected. There wasn't anything he could do except hope that it passed. Or seek help, but that was unlikely. Asking for help made you weak.

Daddy Dearest had impressed upon them that he wouldn't tolerate weakness, and he suspected that's why his brothers and sisters treated him the way they did. Taking drugs, drinking until you pass out, that means you're weak. Having feelings for others made you weak too. It was why he suspected that Dad didn't mourn Ben's loss so much as consider it an inconvenience. Oh, and blame it on him and the rest of the Umbrella Academy. The bastard. 

He felt as though he were in the middle of the ocean. Slowly losing consciousness, failing to keep his head above water, and unable to scream for help. Even if he could, who would be around to hear him? Now his siblings were avoiding him extra hard. If they saw him in the hallways they pretended they didn't, or suddenly found themselves needing to speak with some Commission employee or another right away. 

Klaus knew he was getting a bit weird, too. It wasn't just Cal and Libby anymore, now about twelve ghosts were hanging around him at all times. Unfortunately, they were pretty loud, and they were drowning his two friends out. Klaus kind of wished he hadn't helped Scarlet move on after all; they were a total badass and could probably handle a bunch of screaming ghouls single-handed. 

A good night's sleep was now a distant memory. If it wasn't nightmares waking him up it was ghosts demanding satisfaction from him. They wanted revenge. They wanted messages passed on. Their motives devolved into a litany of shrieks and demands for Klaus's time and attention. Or in the case of the pirate, to hurt him. Klaus had picked him up on a job the day after the attempted family lunch. The pirate's mission in life was to make Klaus miserable, and he was really good at it. 

Klaus tried to get him and the rest of the spooks under some semblance of control. Just get them to be quiet for a while or go away entirely. So far all he'd managed to do was make them tangible at random intervals and never on purpose.

He couldn't get a moment's peace. Even now on his way to the cafeteria, he was being hounded by the pirate (whom Klaus called Bloody Bones in his head). He was telling Klaus all the ways he would hurt him as soon as he was solid again. Klaus had his hands over his ears as he strode down the hall, saying, "Shut up, shut up, shut up!" 

Employees were giving him weird looks, a few even dodged him as he walked. Not that he could blame them. He wasn't the poster boy for sanity right now. Though, was he ever? No, no he wasn't. Klaus would give anything for just one uninterrupted night's sleep. No nightmares, no ghosts. Just Klaus and eight hours of blissful unconsciousness. 

When he got to the cafeteria, Bloody Bones quieted down some. The ghost turned his attention to the other employees, who couldn't see or hear him. Figuring this was as good a distraction as he could expect, Klaus got in line, grabbing a tray as he did so. As he moved along, nothing looked particularly good. Cal was standing next to him now, and he asked, "So what are you going to get?" 

"A migraine," Klaus replied. His head did hurt, probably from all the yelling. 

"Sorry about that guy," Cal said, looking at Bloody Bones who was now standing several feet away. "I'll keep him off you while you eat." 

"Thanks, Cal, you're a real pal. Oh hey, that rhymed. I'm a poet and I didn't know it," said Klaus.

Cal laughed. "You're funny." 

"I like to think so." He was feeling slightly more cheerful now that Cal was with him. He'd at least get to enjoy his meal in peace. "Where's Libby today?" 

"She's back in your room. Said she's laying a trap," Cal told him. 

"A trap? For what?" Klaus was aware he was getting weird looks from the people around him. The guy behind him in line was now edging away from him while the gal in front of him was pushing ahead. Seeing this, Klaus scoffed. "They think I'm talking to myself."

"You could make them see me," said Cal. "Then they'd know you weren't."

"I think making a ghost appear in the cafeteria would cause more of a scene than one loser talking to himself."

"True. But don't call yourself a loser." 

Klaus really wasn't hungry, but he was starting to get towards the end of the line and needed to pick something. He selected a plate that had some kind of gray lump of meat on it as well as a paste that Klaus was pretty sure was supposed to be mashed potatoes. He was poking at it with a fork when Cal said, "Wonder what his problem is."

"Whose?" Klaus asked.

"That guy staring at you."

Klaus lifted his head, and his heart stopped dead in his chest. He was a little older than he'd been in 1968, his hair was cut differently, and he was wearing a blue suit like the kind he'd seen Hazel and Cha-Cha wear. But that was Dave Katz standing there. Alive, whole, and looking at Klaus like he'd just seen a ghost, pun intended.

Klaus's brain short-circuited. He didn't know what to do with this information and he forgot how to breathe all in one fell swoop. He abandoned his tray and walked towards him, a million questions running through his mind. Like how was he alive? What the hell was he doing at the Commission? Was he seeing anyone? 

Dave was frozen too until Klas was about ten feet away from him. He dropped his tray and stared down as though he couldn't believe he'd done something so stupid. Then he turned and speed-walked in the other direction. 

"Dave," Klaus said, but he didn't seem to hear him, so Klaus tried again. "Dave! Wait!"

Now Klaus knew he heard because Dave was now running through the lunch crowd like he was being chased. Klaus stopped and didn't pursue him. So Dave was alive and wanted nothing to do with him. If he wasn't already so fucked up from the rejection of his brothers and sisters Klaus suspected that would mortally wound him. As it was, he didn't feel anything. 

Then he saw Diego run after Dave, and he looked in the direction Diego had come running from. There they were, his darling siblings sitting together. There were six chairs at their table like they'd been saving space for someone. It couldn't have been him, they had no way of knowing he'd take lunch here today. Klaus rarely came to the cafeteria, he didn't like all the noise.

He could hear people murmuring, and see others staring at him. The good news was Bloody Bones seemed to have fucked off, so that was nice. One good thing today right? As he watched his siblings, he could see them talking to each other, shooting looks at Klaus and it hit him. 

This is why they'd been avoiding him. They must have known that Dave was working here and instead of telling Klaus they were hiding it from him. Now Klaus did feel something, an emotion he rarely experienced because he was a lover, not a fighter. He was enraged. And sadly for the rest of the Hargreeveses, Klaus was not averse to causing two scenes in one lunch hour.

Klaus stormed up to their table and demanded, "How long have you known?" He was proud of himself that he managed to keep his voice level. He didn't think he'd ever been so angry in his life. 

"Klaus--" Five said.

"Don't fucking start with me you little shit," Klaus snarled. "I knew you were fucking hiding something!" 

They were drawing attention, and then Allison said, "I heard a rumor you sat down and shut up." 

Klaus wanted to yell, he tried to throw off Allison's powers. Of course, he couldn't, no one could once Allison had her say. So he sat in the empty seat that Klaus knew was meant for Dave. He couldn't speak, and Cal said, "Klaus? Are you okay?" 

He shook his head.

"What did she do to you?" He was glaring at Allison.

No one spoke until Diego got back, and when he saw Klaus at their table he sighed. He took his own seat and said, "Dave said he's gotta go figure things out. He wants to talk to you later." When Klaus didn't say anything in return he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I think you can let him talk now," Five said. "People have stopped staring." 

Allison however looked at Klaus and asked, "If I let you speak are you going to start yelling?" 

Klaus shrugged.

"I suppose that will have to do. I heard a rumor you could talk again." 

Klaus's jaw unclenched, and Luther said, "Maybe we should have done that when we were kids." It sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but it fell flat. 

"Fuck you, Number One." 

Vanya had been quiet the whole time, and she reached out and squeezed Klaus's hand. "I'm really sorry we didn't tell you. We only found out recently." 

"Why didn't you say anything?" Klaus asked, but the question was addressed to the entire table. He couldn't believe they'd hidden this from him. They knew how important Dave was to him, and they were keeping secrets like this?

"We were going to," Diego said. 

"We wanted to make sure when you two met it would be something a little less dramatic," Allison added. 

"And a little less detrimental to our mission," Five said. 

"What mission?" Klaus asked. 

"You don't think we're just going to stay with the Commission forever, do you?" Five asked. "We have lives to get back to. And for all we know the apocalypse could have followed us here, too."

"Well, maybe I would have known that. If someone would actually talk to me," Klaus hissed. 

Cal was standing behind him and he said, "We should leave."

"I'm not done here," Klaus said, turning back to look at him.

Cal held his hands up. "Hey, we're cool."

He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I"m sorry. Obviously, I'm not angry at you." 

"Klaus?"

He looked back, and everyone was staring at him. Diego asked, "Is Ben with you?"

"Ben's dead, remember? The only member of this family that actually gave a shit about me, he's gone." 

"That's not true! We've been--" Vanya started, but then fell quiet when Five glared at her.

Klaus crossed his arms and asked, "Something else you're keeping from me?" 

"We're just trying to help," Allison told him. "So don't get mad." 

"Oh I'm well past that point, sister," he said. "Do you know what the past six months have been like for me? I can't sleep. I'm getting my ass kicked by ghosts. The only friend I did have amongst the lot of you is gone. Everyone in my department is afraid of me and hates me. I don't have anyone to talk to and you know I thought, 'at least my family is here, at least we're together'. But we're not, are we?"

"You're being dramatic--" Luther said, but this time, Vanya interrupted him.

"Stop, let him talk," she said, giving Klaus a concerned look. 

"Why can't you sleep?" Diego asked. 

"Oh, let me think. PTSD, the fact that every time I try a fucking ghost drags me out of bed and beats me up. And I used to drink or do a shitload of drugs to take my mind off it. Or like, go see a movie or something. But there's nothing to do here! And surprise, I still don't have control over my powers! That hasn't magically manifested so my life, right this moment? Is hell." 

They were exchanging looks, and Five said, "If this is an excuse to get high--"

Before he could finish the sentence, Cal said, "Klaus look out!" 

He turned just in time to see Bloody Bones had reappeared. He raised his hook and brought it across Klaus's face so hard that it made his head spin. He didn't remember when he fell out of his chair, but he'd been knocked for one hell of a loop. Klaus closed his eyes, trying to focus on making him go away. It was so hard to concentrate, he was so tired, and angry, and hurt and-- Suddenly his anger surged out of him. 

The ghost was gone.

Klaus opened his eyes, rubbing his jaw. Cal was gone too, much to Klaus's regret. He must have driven him off when he'd gotten rid of Bloody Bones. His face sure as fuck hurt though. Vanya was kneeling by him, and she said, "Oh my God." 

"He didn't knock a tooth out or something did he?" Klaus asked.

"You're bleeding," she told him. She had a gray silk scarf around her neck, which she took off and pressed to his face.

"How long has that been happening for?" Luther demanded.

"Just like the past week," Klaus muttered.

Allison said to Five, "That's enough." 

"If he stays sober--"

"He's getting the shit kicked out of him by invisible people! How the hell is that gonna help him?" Diego shot back. 

"What are you guys talking about?" Klaus asked. Of course, they ignored him.

Luther was looking at his siblings, and he said, "Okay, family vote time. All in favor of Klaus still being on restriction?" 

Five raised his hand.

"All opposed?" 

Allison, Diego, Vanya, and surprisingly Luther all raised their hands. 

"Great."

"What's going on? What restriction?" 

Allison was glaring at Five, who explained, "When we arrived I told the Commission you couldn't have access to any area with alcohol or drugs. So along with the alcohol ban at the commissary you've been restricted from the recreation areas such as the movie theater and the lounge. It was for your own good." He wouldn't look at Klaus as he explained. 

Then it clicked. The elevator that wouldn't move. Doors he couldn't open. Unable to go anywhere but his room, corpse duty, the commissary, the grounds, and the cafeteria. "You kept me locked up?" 

"We didn't want you to relapse," Allison explained in a pleading tone. 

"We thought if you had your options taken away you'd be able to get healthy," Diego added. 

Klaus flinched away from Vanya and got to his feet, looking at his family in horror. "You did this to me?" 

"We were at our wit's end," Luther said. "We didn't know what else to do."

"Discuss it with me!" Klaus shouted. And yep, everyone was watching them again. Which was the least of his worries at that particular moment in time. Because his family had decided as a group to take away his freedom without even asking him. At least in prison they still let Klaus watch movies every now and then. "Maybe say, 'hey Number Four, you're having a tough time staying sober, anything we can do to help?' Who the fuck do you think you are, Dad?! Are you going to lock me in a mausoleum next?!"

"Calm down," said Five.

At the same time, Diego asked, "What mausoleum?" 

Klaus laughed hysterically. "Oh fuck you, Five! And fuck the rest of you too! I hope you love your cushy jobs and your new family because from now on? Leave me out of your bullshit! I am officially disowning you!" 

"Klaus wait," Vanya begged.

"Peace out, bitches!" Klaus yelled over his shoulder and left the cafeteria, his face still bleeding. 


	7. and after all the things we put each other through

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So things are chugging along. Still working on the move, and working on this story. Work stuff is still happening. I'm tired but hey at least I'm making progress. I'm really hoping I can get more written in the next week because to be frank, if I can't that hiatus is definitely happening. I'm nearly out of PTO and I'm going to have to concentrate on getting everything set for moving out. Also I gotta start looking for a new job next month so that'll probably take up a lot of my time. I'll update you guys on that next week. Now, on with the show! Once again I'd like to thank everyone for leaving so many comments and kudos! I really appreciate them!

Dave, for probably the first time ever, asked for some time off. He knew that Dot was about to ask him to go on a mission, but he needed to get to the bottom of this. Dot was more than happy to give him a few days, and once he had those he went looking for Number Four. He wasn't difficult to find, since Two had given him his room number. Dave checked the Sanitation schedule and saw that Four's team was off duty. 

As he descended to the lower levels, Dave had to admit that he didn't really like being so far underground. Sometimes he'd think about what would happen if the bunker walls suddenly collapsed in on themselves and buried everyone alive. There was a reason Dave wasn't a huge fan of foxholes. 

Once he was on the right level, it took even more time for Dave to find the correct room. He couldn't help noticing that these hallways weren't as nice as the ones upstairs. The rooms weren't either, they reminded Dave of the barracks he'd slept in when he first enlisted. He even thought he saw a rat but didn't go back to find out. 

Finally, he found it, and Dave knocked on the door. 

A man answered and asked, "Who are you?"

"I need to speak to Number Four," he replied, dodging the question.

At the mention of Four's name, the man's eyes widened and he backed away from him. He pointed at the door opposite and said, "Through there. Hargreeves, you've got a guest." 

There was a deep chill coming from the other room, it made Dave shiver from several feet away. The man who Dave assumed was one of Four's teammates was staying as far away from the door as he possibly could. Dave took a short breath then let it out. There was nothing to be scared of. It was open, but Dave still knocked, not wanting to just barge in. Dave's jaw dropped at what he saw.

The room was crowded with spirits, each outlined in a blue haze. It was like they were having a party. There was talking, laughter, a few ghosts dancing to music. And at the center of it all was Four, lying on his side in his bunk, his eyes closed, with his head on a ghost's lap. His hands were glowing the same eerie blue. The ghost woman was carding her fingers lovingly through his hair and humming a tune. 

The woman stared at Dave for a moment, then said, "You have company."

Four's eyes opened slowly. When he saw Dave, he sat up and the blue glow faded. The ghosts disappeared too, and he said, "I thought I scared you off."

"I'm sorry about that," Dave replied. "May I come in?"

"Hm? Yeah, yeah, mi casa is also your casa or something," Four said. 

There wasn't anywhere else to sit, so Dave sat next to Four on the bed. "Sorry to interrupt your party."

"It's still happening," Four replied. "You just can't see it." 

Dave shivered. "How do you do that? Make them visible?"

Four held up both his hands, where Dave could see the tattoos on them. Hello and Goodbye. Strange. "I'm made of magic." 

"I don't think I've heard any of your siblings say that," Dave said with a chuckle.

This was apparently the wrong thing to say because Four's expression went from a hopeful smile to closed off and distant. He hunched in on himself like he was afraid Dave was about to hit him. What the hell was that all about? 

Four tucked a lock of hair behind his ear and said, "They don't think of it that way." 

Something was very off about this, and Dave couldn't put his finger on why. He asked, "Are you okay?" 

"Splendid. Capitol. Peachy keen," Four replied, shooting a smile at Dave that was so fake it made him frown.

"I'm sorry for running yesterday. I'm still not sure why I did it," Dave said, assuming that was the issue. "I'd been hoping to find you so I could thank you. I know that… When you found me in Dallas you were trying to save me. And I'm sorry I didn't believe you then. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be alive now. So, thank you." 

He was staring at Dave like he didn't quite hear him, then he asked, "So, you're all right? No horrible chest wounds?" 

"No," he said. "Dot, that's my boss, she explained that the timelines would be okay if I lived, but they wanted me to come work here." 

Four gave a dry, confused laugh. "They headhunted you? How did that happen?" 

So Dave told him. About meeting Dot, the alternate timelines, his contract. He explained about his work, and when he mentioned his inventions that really made Four light up. 

"I remember, you used to love toying with things. You said when you returned Stateside you were going to go back to school and study engineering. I used to tease you about being the next Tony Stark and you used to get huffy about it because you said you weren't a rich kid," Four replied with a laugh. 

"You know that comic book came out the same year I enlisted," Dave said. 

"I didn't," Four said. "I was kind of referring to the movies."

"The ones from the two thousands right? I've seen some of them, they're okay. Kind of doesn't make sense that they changed it to the conflict in the Middle East."

"Yeah, but if they had it take place during the Vietnam war it would have made less sense and they couldn't have created the Marvel Cinematic Universe."

"I still think that the whole thing was weird. They had, what, 20 movies all tied together?" Dave asked. 

"It's still less weird than John Wayne and James Stewart working together. I don't care what anyone says, that is not what I'd call a dream team."

"You better not be disrespecting James Stewart."

"Nope, the Duke. I hate that guy." Four smiled at him.

"To be honest, I never liked him either."

"Probably because he was a racist sexist homophobic bag of dicks."

Dave laughed at that.

Four sighed. "I'm just sad the world ended before Ben and I got to see Endgame."

"It wasn't that great, trust me. Who's Ben?" 

"My brother, the dead one. Also known as Number Six," Four replied. "Permanently dead now. He was a ghost for like twenty years? And he was always bugging me to take better care of myself. Stop doing drugs, stop fucking every person in our area code, stuff like that. Y'know, bossy brother stuff." 

Dave stared. "You two must have spent a lot of time together."

"Yeah, kinda hard not to since I was the only person who could see and talk to him," Four said. 

"But he's not around now?" 

Four shook his head. "No. He gave up the ghost to save our sister. It was weird too because after I woke up from Seven knocking me out, I knew something was wrong. I couldn't feel him anymore. I thought it was the whole getting my clock cleaned thing that did it but no. He was gone." 

Dave tried to picture it. A constant companion, someone that only he could see and talk to. It was honestly a bit creepy. "He didn't follow you everywhere, did he?" 

"No. He'd back off if I needed to take a piss or was going home with some lovely person. Though he'd usually show back up right after to give me shit about it." Four turned his head to the left, then said, "Yeah I told you about that. Hey, c'mon you give me plenty of space." 

"Another ghost?"

"Libby," Four said, not looking at Dave. "You don't have to leave. No that's not--Okay, fine. Yeah yeah take the rest of 'em too I guess. See you later." 

The little bedroom suddenly felt much warmer. "So they're gone?" 

"Yeah, Libby said they were intruding. Like I'd care," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "But she thought you might it's why she left." 

"That was polite of her." 

"I guess so." He didn't sound convinced. 

They fell into an easy silence. Four at least looked a little happier than he had when Dave first came in. He was hugging himself like he was trying to keep from touching anything. Dave wasn't stupid, he could guess what that was. He knew that he and Four probably had some kind of a relationship in the other timeline. An intimate one at that, as Dave would rather die than tell anyone his favorite song. 

He wanted to know for sure, which was why he asked, "Why did you try to help me?" 

"I loved you," said Four. 

"Past tense?"

"Still do, but you're not you anymore," he said, as though just coming to that conclusion. 

"I don't get it."

Four exhaled. "I'm not the smart one in the family. But even I figured out you're not the same Dave I fell in love with. When they headhunted you in Vietnam, was I there? In the unit with you?" 

Dave shook his head. "No."

"Exactly. So there was a timeline change. I figured as much when we returned home and Old Reggie was still alive. If he didn't die, there'd be no funeral, Five never would have broken his contract. Hell, he didn't get stuck in the future apocalypse in the first place. And I'd have never been kidnapped by Hazel and Cha-Cha and tortured. So, no briefcase, no trip to Vietnam in 1968." Four pulled his legs up onto the bed and wrapped his arms around his knees. "With that many changes, you're bound to be a different person, even if your core elements are the same." 

"I'm sorry," Dave blurted out, unsure of what else to say. 

"Don't be. You're alive, that's all I wanted," he muttered. "I mean, that wasn't my intention when I first got stuck in 1960. We were trying to escape the apocalypse we accidentally created. Five doesn't have control over his powers yet so we all got dropped in the same alley in Dallas just in different years. I thought I was the only one left, that my siblings were dead and I was alone in the past. When I realized where I was, I knew you were there too. I wanted to find you right away but I waited."

"Why?" 

"Duh, so I could save you, of course. I thought, 'I'm so charming, I can totally talk him out of joining the military'. Didn't work out how I would have liked. But if the tiny shift in your enlistment date was enough to keep your death from happening. I don't regret it." Four wouldn't look at him, but Dave could see his eyes were watery like he was holding back tears.

"Let me see if I have my head wrapped around this," said Dave. "You found yourself alone and stranded in the past, your family probably dead, and the first thing you thought of was trying to help me?" 

Four nodded but didn't respond verbally. 

Dave was taken aback. Four must have had some incredibly strong feelings for him. Which made how Dave treated him so much worse. "I'm so sorry." 

"I just told you, don't be sorry. I don't know how I feel about you working for the people who were trying to kill us but we work here now, too so I guess I can't get too judgy about it." 

"I mean… I'm sorry because we're not close anymore. We never had that chance and from the sound of things you've been alone for a long time. I hate that you went through that." 

"I had my cult." 

Dave snorted. "No, you didn't. Even I could see those people didn't know who you were. They were so busy worshipping you they didn't know a single thing about you as a person."

Four chuckled, wiping at one of his eyes. "Yeah, I guess so. It went too far and by the time I realized how bad I fucked up it was too late."

"How did it even happen?" 

"I got kicked out of a restaurant and this old lady took pity on me. She had this diamond ring that must have cost five hundred grand and I've done the gigolo thing before so I thought, okay I can totally offer some companionship to her for a place to sleep and some quick cash to hand," Four said. 

"That doesn't sound like a good idea."

"Which is precisely what Ben said. I ignored him. Then I find out she's part of some kind of revitalized Spiritualism movement and I figure I can talk to ghosts so I should use that to my advantage. Ben helped, even though he didn't approve," Four said. "He'd lift me up and it would look like I was levitating." 

He sighed. "How in the hell did that turn into a cult?" 

"People assumed me having powers meant I had to be the next Messiah or something. And I let them believe it," Four sighed. "At first I thought it was fun. People took me seriously and hung on my every word. No one had done that since…" He looked at Dave, then kept talking.

"And I didn't have to do stupid things for attention, except using my powers. In retrospect, I should have bailed when they started talking about getting my tattoos." He held his hands up, showing the Hello and Goodbye on his palms.

"Why didn't you?"

"Where was I going to go? My family was dead and the only person I ever loved wasn't old enough to vote yet. I figured there were worse things I could be doing and I wasn't really hurting anyone. Or at least I told myself I wasn't, which was bullshit. I was. People left their lives for me. Jobs, families, friends, all to get on a painted bus, and travel around the country like a bunch of hippy dipshits so they could be around me. Then when it started to get closer to your enlistment date I tried to head back to Dallas, preferably without the entourage. I couldn't shake them." 

He blinked. "Wait what?" 

"Yeah, they were getting like crazy intense and I couldn't go anywhere by myself. I would lock myself in my bedroom and try to figure out how to leave without them noticing but they were always watching me. When I did finally escape they still tracked me down. Then when I tried to tell them I'm a fraud, using those exact words, they pulled a 'his name is Robert Paulson' thing on me." 

"I don't get it." 

"Fight Club, if you haven't seen it you should." 

Dave sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "So when you came to find me you'd just escaped from your cult but they still followed you."

"Yeah which I'm sure made me look way more legitimate in your eyes," he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 

"I thought you were an insane con man."

"Oh I totally am, but I wasn't lying to you. And I wouldn't have wanted you to join my cult. Hell, I didn't want me to join my cult. It was stupid and Ben was so fucking mad at me, especially because of Jill." 

"Jill?"

"A girl in the cult he had a crush on. I think she was the only reason he tried to get me to knock it off which, selfish, but I'm the king of being selfish so I don't get to point fingers." He snorted. "Hell, when we reconnected with our siblings I lied to them and said that ghosts can't time travel. All because I was angry at him for trying to stop me from self-destructing and taking Destiny's Children with me." 

They fell to silence again, and then Four muttered, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you all of that."

"I asked, didn't I?"

"Yeah but I'm not psyched about you knowing exactly how much of a selfish, reckless fuck up I am." 

"We've all got our flaws. And you're not as bad as you think," Dave replied. He checked his watch and cursed. "I have to go, I'm late." 

"For what?"

"Training." 

"Oh." Four had relaxed a little, sitting cross-legged on the bed. "Well… Thanks for the thank you."

"Yeah. And again, I'm sorry about the…" He trailed off, and Dave mimed punching himself in the face.

"Nothing to be sorry for, I deserved it." 

"No you didn't," Dave said. 

"Uh, yeah, I totally did." 

He got up and went to the door. He paused however and said, without looking back at Four, "You know, just because you've done bad things in the past doesn't mean you can't do good things in the future. And it doesn't mean you deserve to be hurt." And he left with an aching heart and a full head. 

* * *

"Klaus?" 

He didn't move from the bed. He was staring at the bunk above him, trying to concentrate on keeping the ghosts tangible. He'd collected more than a few. And while Bloody Bones was still a problem (and a huge pain in the ass) the others more than made up for it. And most of them, much like Cal and Libby, were willing to play guard duty to keep the bad ones away from him.

"Klaus?" 

He ignored whoever it was. The first time getting drunk in months and he could hardly move the next day. It might have helped if he'd actually slept, but the nightmares kept waking him up. His powers still worked, which kind of defeated the purpose of getting wasted in the first place. One of the purposes. The other, slowly destroying his liver, seemed to be working perfectly fine. Or so he assumed, he didn't have x-ray vision or anything. That would be such a lame power. 

Then a face appeared over his. A familiar, but blurry, face. 

"Can you hear me?" The face asked. 

"No, I have been rendered deaf," he said in a monotone. 

"How drunk are you right now?"

"Hungover."

The face disappeared. When it came back there was a glass of water hovering over him. "Drink."

"No thank you." 

"I heard a rumor you drank this entire glass of water." 

Klaus sat up, taking the glass and drinking it slowly. His vision had cleared, and he realized the ghosts were crowded around the bed, watching Klaus and his visitor. When he finished the glass he handed it back and said, "No fair using your powers, Allison." 

"You need to hydrate." 

"I need to be left alone."

"I think we both know that's not true. And who are these people?" She gestured to the ghosts.

"They're my friends. Figure if I can't have my family around might as well meet some new people," he muttered. He knew how petulant it sounded, he didn't care. 

Allison sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sorry about Dave." 

"No, you're sorry you got caught," he seethed, suddenly angry. 

"We were trying to--"

"Help me? How the fuck is keeping me prisoner helping me? It's not, you were punishing me because once again I didn't fall in line. Because I dared to fucking start drinking again. Which you were totally fine enabling me when it suited you then the minute it didn't you turned around and got all judgmental on me." 

She sighed and said, "You're right."

That made Klaus pause. "Excuse me?"

"You're right," she said again. "I should have stopped you. I was so afraid of losing Raymond, and it was my own fault because I didn't tell him the truth from the beginning as I should have. And I miss Claire so much it's eating me alive. I may never see her again. It was easier to get drunk and pretend that I didn't have a problem because yours is… So much worse." 

Klaus sighed and put his hands over his eyes. "So why did you help lock me up then?" 

"I didn't want to," she said. "We talked about what to do with you while you were still in the hospital. We just wanted to keep you safe and help you get better. We took a vote on it, to either put you through rehab or force you to dry out." 

"The Commission doesn't have a rehab facility," he grumbled. 

"No, they don't, but it's not like we couldn't come up with something. I think… With everything going on, we assumed it would be easier if we made you quit cold turkey and once things had settled we'd deal with you later," she said. 

"Then why the isolation? You guys wouldn't even say hi to me half the time." 

"We didn't mean to," Allison replied. "It's true what I told you before. We're all under a lot of pressure to perform well. The Sparrow Academy is still looking for us. If we get thrown out of the Commission we're in no position to defend ourselves."

"You could have told me about Dave at least," he muttered. "How long did you know?" 

"Gadget--I mean, Dave, he's been hanging out with us since the beginning. We didn't know who he was until about two weeks ago. I promise we were working up to introducing you two. Once we were sure you were sticking with being sober and seeing him again wouldn't hurt you." 

Klaus snorted. "How'm I supposed to get high around here?" 

At that, Allison frowned. "Klaus, in case you forgot, we grew up with you. And even locked up in the Academy if you could find a way to get high you'd find it. I was the one who found you after the super glue incident remember? And I wouldn't put it past you to resort to making moonshine." 

"Don't have a still," he replied. "I could make some sangria in the toilet though. It was always popular in lock up." 

"That's exactly what I'm talking about," she replied. "Yes, we took away your options, but you're creative and determined. If you want to get high, you will. It's not an excuse, what we did was wrong. But you're more clever than you let on and Five was trying to think his way around your creativity." 

"That little bastard." 

Klaus couldn't argue with their reasoning. He had considered huffing some spray paint a few times. And it wasn't like he couldn't make his own alcohol if he were really desperate. But he didn't want to be that person anymore, or at least he hadn't before seeing Dave. Realizing that Dave would likely never love him again had been a blow he hadn't seen coming. It had hurt to have that revelation right in front of Dave, and Klaus was still humiliated that he'd opened up to him.

"I'm not thanking you," he said. 

"I don't expect you to. I understand why you're mad," she replied. "But what's with the Haunted Mansion stuff?"

Klaus shrugged. Realizing the ghosts were preoccupied with having fun, he waved his hand and made them vanish. "Nothing to do, no one to talk to. Figured since everyone's already spooked by me might as well lean into it." 

"Are they bullying you? I can make them stop."

"No, they're too afraid of me to push me around. Well, anymore." 

Allison took the glass from Klaus, then got up and went into the bathroom. She came back with more water and said, "C'mon. I don't know how much you drank last night but you need it. Then get dressed." 

"Why?" 

"We're going to breakfast." 

He groaned. "I don't want to see our illustrious siblings thank you very much."

"Just you and me," she replied. "It'd be good for you to spend some time around flesh and blood people." 

Klaus almost argued, but Cal was now standing in front of him and he said, "She's right. I know you're mad at her, and I understand why. But you gotta get out. Besides she might change her mind and they could put you on restriction again." 

"A horrifying possibility, thanks for that," Klaus muttered. Allison shot him a look but didn't ask who he was talking to. 

"Go on," Cal urged.

Klaus finished the water then got up and got dressed. He wasn't feeling particularly festive, so he pulled on jeans, sneakers, and a crop top, all black. He did at least put on a little eyeliner, but he didn't bother brushing his hair. What was the point? They'd just end up back here again. 

Allison however sighed and said, "Sit down."

"Why?" He grumbled but did as she asked. 

She got the brush out of the bathroom and ran it gently through his curls, making sure it didn't snag. As she brushed his hair, she said, "I know you're hurt, but I promise I'm going to make it up to you." 

"Unless you can turn back time and send me to Vietnam again I don't see how," he muttered. 

Allison didn't respond, instead, she finished brushing his hair, then French braided the sides so it was out of his face using some bobby pins she found in the bathroom. She smiled and said, "There, lovely." 

"Even drab and depressed I'm still prettier than you," Klaus boasted and Allison laughed. He then turned to the ghosts and said, "I'm going out. Don't wreck anything while I'm gone. Cal, you're in charge."

"Yes, sir!" Cal said with a grin. 

He followed his sister out, though he grabbed a pair of sunglasses before he did. As they walked to the elevators, he asked, "Day off?"

"I'm between assignments," she replied. "I'm on the same rotation as Five and Gadget so I have one more day until I get my next mission."

"Fun," Klaus muttered, jamming his hands in his pockets. "Kinda having trouble finding job satisfaction myself. I think it's because of the ghosts of the people the Commission keeps killing that follow me home after work." 

Allison looked at him with concern, asking, "That's where the ghosts are coming from?"

"Yeah."

When they arrived, there was an elevator waiting, and they boarded. Allison hit a button then said, "We could ask them to reassign you." 

"Won't work," Klaus said. "Their super-duper important assessment test says I'm an idiot."

"You are not," she said. "You're not a genius, sure, but you're not stupid." 

"Prove it."

Allison smirked. "You figured out Lila could only copy one of our powers at a time. Even Five didn't realize that and he's smarter than the rest of us put together."

"It was a lucky guess." Klaus rubbed the back of his neck. He loved compliments of course, but he wasn't used to getting them from his siblings, especially not Allison. What was next, Luther singing his praises? Not even possible. 

"Lucky or not, that's quick thinking. You're more capable than you think," she assured him.

When the elevator came to a stop, they arrived at a floor Klaus didn't recognize. Which was hardly surprising since he hadn't been allowed to go anywhere when they first arrived. He didn't much care for the pale blue linoleum or the light gray walls. He let Allison lead him until they reached a door that looked like it belonged to a retro 50's diner.

They walked in, and yep, the decor matched the door. It was weirdly depressing. "This looks like Johnny Rocket's but less off-putting."

"The food's better too, trust me," Allison replied.

A waitress approached and asked, "Booth or counter?" 

"Booth please."

She led them to an empty booth in the back, the shiny red vinyl of the seats hurting Klaus's eyes. He plopped into his seat, Allison across from him. The waitress handed them menus and asked, "Can I start you off with something?"

"Coffee please," said Allison. 

"Bloody Mary," Klaus said.

"No liquor at this establishment, hon. You want a virgin?"

"Ugh no thank you. I don't do virgins," he replied. 

Allison snorted and said, "He'll have coffee and water, please."

The waitress was eyeing Klaus, and not in a hostile 'ugh I can't believe you just made a sex joke' way. More like… Interested? Maybe. She wrote something on her notepad and walked away. 

"You're terrible," she said.

Klaus shrugged. "It's true though. Like, I'm not disparaging virgins or anything but I am so not good for them." 

"I bet you'd try to be good if Dave were a virgin," said Allison.

He shuddered and put his sunglasses on. "Maybe not." Even though he knew they were miles underground, the false sunlight in the diner was hurting his eyes. 

"Hey," she said softly, reaching out and putting her hands over his. "Really, how are you holding up?" 

"Not great," Klaus admitted. "Dave's a different person than the guy I fell in love with. And I've got all this history of us in my head that doesn't exist anymore. And… He can't love me." 

"You don't know that." 

"It wouldn't be the same, is what I mean." 

Allison squeezed his hand. "I know you don't like it but… I could rumor you."

"Is that an offer or an order?" He asked. 

The waitress came back before Allison had a chance to respond. She put two mugs on the table and handed Klaus a glass of water big enough to drown himself in. She poured their coffee and asked, "You decided on what you want?"

"I think we need a few more minutes," said Allison, and the waitress left again. She then looked at Klaus and said, "I know how much it hurts. Losing Claire, and now Raymond… I feel like there's a hole in my chest where my heart should be. And I can't get enough air in my lungs to scream." 

Klaus looked at Allison and realized she was holding back tears. He reached over and got a couple napkins out of the dispenser, and handed them to her. She wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry," Klaus said. 

"What I'm saying is, I know how much you must be hurting. And if you want, I can take it away. I can rumor you so you don't remember."

"Is that what you'd do if you were me?" 

She bit her lip, looking past Klaus, deep in thought. Allison shook her head and said, "No."

"Me neither." Klaus pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and offered one to Allison. She looked at him for a second, then took it. Klaus lit his own and then hers. "He's the only person I've ever loved, Allison. I don't want to lose those memories."

"Not the only one," she said, taking a drag.

"Outside our family," he clarified. "If I can't remember him there's no point. We did all this for nothing and I might as well be dead. Assuming I can and that one-off was a fluke." 

Allison frowned. "Excuse me?" 

"Long story," he replied. "I'm thinking waffles. What do you want?" 

Thankfully, she let it drop. He was going to get the third degree later but unlike Klaus, Allison knew when to back off. "I think I want Eggs Benedict." 

"Ooo fancy."


	8. and i would drive on to the end with you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a little later in the day than I would ordinarily like to post, but I have some announcements.
> 
> The first of which is, this story will continue to update through October, however I will be taking a break in November. I'm not sure how long of a break it will be so I encourage everyone to subscribe for future updates. I will still be posting every Sunday in October. As I'll have just moved and will be participating in NaNo, I'm going to be extremely busy and simply won't have as much time to dedicate to this story as I have previously. 
> 
> Secondly, before the break, I'm going to be participating in Whumptober with Klaus centric drabbles and ficlets, so keep an eye out for that. I'll do as many of them as I can, but my goal is to write something for each day of Whumptober. They'll likely be short because I've been quite busy, but if you like Klaus Whump, you're going to love some of the ideas I have. 
> 
> Third, I was fortunate enough to receive this beautiful fan art from The_Immature of Klaus and Cal's scene in the lunch room in Chapter 6, which you can view [here.](https://ultramariesblog.tumblr.com/post/629962443812159488/klaus-fanart-for-until-the-end-of-everything-by) I fucking love it, thank you so much! And thank you again to everyone commenting and leaving kudos!

"You got your head in the game today or am I gonna ring your bell?" 

Dave looked up from taping his hands as Two strode across the gym. Unsurprisingly, he was already dressed and ready to fight. He shook his head and said, "I don't know that I do." 

Two crossed his arms over his chest and said, "You wanna talk or you wanna train?"

"Both," Dave said. 

Two hauled himself up into the ring, and Dave pulled his gloves on. Two did the same and they squared off. It was quick, Two knocked him down so fast Dave barely had time to blink let alone put his gloves up. 

"You're gonna get yourself killed, Gadget," Two said. 

"I'm not taking any assignments right now," he admitted. 

That made Two pause. "You're not?"

"I can't get my head on straight," Dave admitted. "Ever since I talked to Four." 

Two sighed. "What did he say to you?" 

"Buncha stuff."

"You know that he lies for attention right? He's my brother and I love him but he's not above doing that," said Two. 

Dave shook his head. "He's wounded, Two. Down to his core. Any idiot could see that and it ain't something you can fake. I don't care if you're the greatest actor of all time." 

Two took his gloves off and tossed them aside, saying, "Come on, we're not gonna get any training done if you're mooning over my brother." 

"I'm not mooning over anyone," Dave snapped.

"Oh no?" Two swiped his hand out and slapped Dave across the face. He then punched him in the chest. 

"You son of a--" Dave tackled him around the middle and wrestled him to the floor.

Two fought back, reaching around to elbow Dave in the kidneys. 

They wrestled for a few minutes, getting a few hits in here and there, until Dave had Two on the floor of the ring, pinned beneath him. "You do that again I'll dislocate your shoulder." 

"Just checking to make sure your defenses are still up," Two replied with a smirk.

"Uh-huh." Dave rolled his eyes and got to his feet. He didn't offer Two a hand up, knowing he'd either pull Dave down or slap his hand away, neither of which Dave was in the mood for. 

As they climbed out of the ring, Two said, "I know how you feel." 

"I doubt it," he replied. 

"Look, Four's kind of sensitive. It makes him into a prick sometimes. So whatever he said to you, take it with a grain of salt." 

He shook his head. "You really don't get it, do you?" 

"Maybe I would if you'd tell me what was going on."

"Let's get changed and go for a drink."

And they did. Once they were back in their civvies, they went to the lounge. It was only half full since it was early afternoon and most people were still working. They got a pitcher of beer and a bowl of pretzels, then sat towards the back. 

Dave polished off half his drink, then said, "He's broken-hearted." 

Two frowned. "Why?"

"He figures I'm not the same person anymore," he replied. Dave then explained everything Four had told him. About the timeline change, the cult, losing Ben aka Number Six. He also mentioned that he was having weird ghost parties in his quarters and that everyone down in Sanitation was scared to death of Four. "And he seems like a nice enough guy, there's no reason to be afraid of him."

"I think they're probably more scared of the ghosts than Four," said Two. 

"I suppose that makes sense," said Dave. "He's really hurt, Two. I think he's spending too much time by himself. Sure, I don't have those kinds of feelings for him, but I'd like to do something nice. Maybe make him smile."

"You sure that's a good idea? I want to help him as much as you do but if you're taking him on a pity date that's going to sting more than anything." 

Dave scoffed. "It's not a date. He's not getting out from what I can tell. Maybe some time around folks who aren't scared stiff of him is just what the doctor ordered." 

"Just so long as you're not stringing him along," said Two. He scooted closer and added, "If you do anything to hurt him they won't find your body. I will grind you up and put you in the meatloaf in the cafeteria." 

"That's disgusting. Besides you could accomplish the same thing with some hogs," Dave said. "They'll eat anything." At Two's surprised look he shrugged. "My cousins have a farm outside of Dallas. I used to visit in the summer to help out and ride horses." 

"And play cowboys?" 

"Yup. I'd always be the Lone Ranger," he replied.

"Not a surprise there." Two was staring at his empty glass, and he muttered, "He still mad at us?" 

"Four?" Two nodded, and Dave sighed. "I don't know. We didn't talk about you or the other Numbers. Except for Ben. Which by the way, why do you go by Numbers? Obviously, you have other names. I've heard Seven almost use them a few times." 

"It's so we can keep a low profile," Two said to him. "And besides, the Commission knew us by our numbers, not pour names. It was just easier that way." 

"What're your real names then?" 

"Don't worry about it." 

Well, that was a dodge if Dave ever heard one. He made a note to ask Four later on. He sure as hell didn't keep things close to the vest. "I'd still like to do something nice for Four. Do you know what kind of movies he likes?" 

"Not really. To tell you the truth, I haven't seen him since we were seventeen. After Ben died we scattered to the winds. One stayed with Dad and almost got himself killed on a mission, that's why he looks the way he does now, then Dad sent him to the moon to get rid of him. I tried to go into the police academy but I got kicked out for not following procedure. So I did the Batman routine while working at a gym. Three went to Hollywood and became a famous actress. Five had already disappeared by that time. Seven wrote a tell-all book about us between playing the violin at some orchestra. Four… I'm not sure what happened to him but I can guess." 

He frowned. "You really have no idea?"

"I didn't see him for twelve years. I suppose I could have kept an eye on him since we were living in the same city and everything. But I had my own life to live and he had his." Two poured himself another beer.

Dave supposed he could understand. He was an only child, but he also had several cousins around his age. As they'd gotten older they all fell out of contact. Dave couldn't have told you where they all were today, assuming they weren't dead of course. "Didn't any of you stay in touch?" 

"Nope," said Two. "Probably the closest we got to a family reunion before Dad kicked the bucket was Seven's book." 

"Why did she write a book about you?"

"I used to think it was to get back at us," Two admitted. "Revenge for being pushed aside when we were kids. She told the world about our dysfunction. She handed out our secrets like they were candy and exposed us to everyone. I hated her for it for a long time. I was still mad at Seven when she showed up for Dad's funeral. It took a long time, but I did forgive her." 

Dave knew some of what the Numbers had been through. How they were raised as a family but were really some kind of science experiment. "Did anything happen to your Dad because of the book?"

"No, he had the kind of money that could make any problem disappear. Besides we were all adults by then so no one cared," Two said. 

He didn't know what to say. Sorry wouldn't cut it, and he was sure Two would be angry with him if he did. Dave decided to get back to the task at hand. "Is there anything Four likes? Anything that might cheer him up a little? He's so downhearted, it hurts to see someone so low."

Two poured himself more beer out of the pitcher and grimaced. "He likes pretty things."

"Like what?"

"When we were kids he used to steal Three's clothes and makeup. Once he stole Mom's heels and went running around the house in them. He fell down the stairs and broke his jaw, but before that, he said it was the prettiest he'd ever felt." 

"Is he a transsexual?" 

"They prefer being called just trans nowadays. Honestly? I don't know, I never asked."

This was getting Dave nowhere. He asked, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice, "Isn't there anything you know he likes?" 

"He likes you. Other than that, I couldn't say." 

Dave hummed. "Thanks." He got up and tossed a couple bills on the table, but Two stopped him.

"Hang on, there's something you need to know." 

"What?" 

Two gestured for Dave to sit down, which he did. "You know about the timeline changes right?" 

"Yes."

"There's a different version of us in the current timeline," Two said. "More ruthless, they're called the Sparrow Academy. So if you get any ideas about taking Four out somewhere, make sure he doesn't leave the Commission building."

"Are they still after you?" Dave asked. 

"As far as we know. They're having trouble locating us because we won't take any jobs after 1988. But they've got their own version of Five so they can time travel too," said Two. "Their Number Four damn near succeeded in killing him. I'm sure he's still mad, but that's no reason to let him get hurt." 

Dave stared at him for a minute, then asked, "You guys have evil twins?" 

"Kind of, it's complicated. We don't have to worry about them showing up here because from what we can tell, they don't know about the Commission. Without the briefcases, they wouldn't be able to access this place."

"If they're so dangerous, why allow Three and Five to take missions outside the base?" 

"Five can handle himself," Two said. "Three on the other hand she can cover her tracks better than anyone with her powers."

"But you, One, Seven, and Four don't leave the Commission."

"No, we don't. Four and Seven would be too vulnerable, even though arguably they're both powerful. Me, I'm considered too much of a wild card, and being subtle isn't my strong suit. I don't like it, but I agreed to stay here. One doesn't have enough life experience that would help him disappear. Besides he's pretty damn big, there's no way that he'd be able to conceal himself from the Sparrow Academy." 

"Makes sense," Dave said. He stood up again. "I'm gonna get going."

"Have fun. To answer your question though, when we were kids, Klaus always liked the weird movies."

"Weird movies?" 

"You know, art house, existential crap. Or romances, he was always a sucker for those. He and the girls made us watch The Notebook about a hundred times. Drove the rest of us crazy."

Dave chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind." 

He left the lounge and headed to his mailbox. No letters, but there was the monthly newsletter, which Dave knew would have movie listings in it. He returned to his rooms and scoured the pages, looking for something that Four might like. 

However, he stopped to think about it. Four was depressed because he thought Dave would never love him. Dave, in turn, did find Four to be beautiful, but he didn't know anything about him aside from stories. What if this was too much like a date? What if it gave him hope when there shouldn't be any? Would he just be hurting Four further by going through with this?

There wasn't anyone he could ask, at least not anyone that Four wasn't related to. It still struck Dave how little the siblings seemed to interact with him. Dave knew there was some bad blood there, though why he wasn't sure. He suspected the root cause was Four's addiction issues. 

To be fair to the Numbers, those weren't fun. There were days his Mama was so incoherent from drink that Dave thought she was going to die right in front of him. And there were occasions where he secretly wished she would, so he wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. He was able to overcome them, and his Mama did eventually get better. Not because Dave wanted her to, but because she wanted to. 

He wondered why Four had developed problems in the first place. It was an inappropriate question to ask, it was definitely prying. 

Dave thought back to the "ghost party" as he'd started calling it in his head. The woman who'd been doting on Four as though she were his own mother. Did the ghosts have something to do with it? Things looked copacetic to Dave. He got the sense he was only scratching the surface, and there was something deeper there. 

"I'm getting ahead of myself," he said aloud and returned to the newsletter. 

He would simply need to explain to Four beforehand that it wasn't a date. He only wanted to know him better. Maybe they could even be friends. Dave would ask if that was okay, not wanting to force his company on Four. Heck, for all Dave knew he could make things worse. 

Was there really anything worse though than only having ghosts as friends? 

Loneliness was like cancer. At first, you didn't notice it. Sometimes you'd even be relieved to have so much time to yourself. But slowly, it eats away at you. You start talking to yourself because otherwise there's no sound around you. Then the ache sets in, like something is wrong and you don't know what. Desperation follows, trying to form attachments with anyone who will have you, out of a deep-seated fear that you'll drown if you don't. And if that doesn't work… That's when you go over the edge.

Dave had been close to that point before the Numbers showed up. He could only imagine what Four was going through, and he didn't want him to drown. Dave could do him this kindness at least. 

If Dave still thought of Four's gorgeous green eyes every ten minutes, that was between himself and the wallpaper. He circled some movie listings, then started making himself dinner. By the time he sat down to eat, Dave had almost convinced himself his interest was only friendship. 

* * *

So it was starting to get a little crowded at the Commission. Which yeah, that was his fault, and he was a little sorry. Kind of, sort of. Whatever there were too many ghosts and Klaus needed to figure out how to get rid of them. They were beginning to crowd him out of his room and not all of them were as nice as Cal and Libby.

It was pretty awesome that he could banish them, but the only way to get rid of them permanently was helping them move on. 

He was still afraid, after what happened when he helped Scarlet move on. But there was no way to know if that would keep happening if he didn't try it out. So after yet another day of hauling bodies, Klaus found Cal and said, "Let's go find your mom."

"Really?" He asked, jaw dropping.

"Yeah. I don't know if I can summon her from here but I can try." It was a concern, the Commission was supposed to be outside normal time and space. All the ghosts that Klaus ran into followed him from regular space-time. Could he still conjure someone in a place that technically didn't exist? They were about to find out.

Klaus found a quiet corner to work in, one that wasn't his own room. That's where the rest of the ghosts would be waiting and he didn't want to deal with them while he made this attempt. He wasn't surprised that the Commission had a library, but he was surprised by how empty it was. You'd think with so many people dedicated to the whole 50's aesthetic they'd be more into reading. Or not, since McCarthy was such a big screaming deal back then and boy did that guy not like books. 

Klaus concealed himself in the stacks, sat on the ground, and rolled his neck. 

Cal sat across from him and asked, "Do you really think you can find her?"

"If she's dead I should be able to," Klaus replied. He then paused and asked, "She isn't immortal, is she?" 

"Not that I'm aware of?" 

"Good."

"You know someone who's immortal?"

"Me. Kinda. It's a long story. You said her name is Seana right?" 

"Yeah, Seana Hodgeson."

He took a deep breath and let it out. Klaus kept the name in mind and reached into himself. He'd been sober for days, since he'd talked to Allison, getting ready for this. There was nothing to impede him now except his own inexperience. Klaus hadn't tried to conjure specific spirits before, at least not often. In retrospect, Klaus realized that was very stupid since he felt like he was fumbling in the dark for a light switch he wasn't sure was there. 

Klaus didn't know where to begin, he just kept saying her name over and over in his head. Calling out for a woman he'd never met so his friend would finally be able to get some closure.

"Calhoun?" 

Klaus's eyes opened just in time to see Cal turn and look behind him. 

An old woman wearing a pink dress, heels, and large gold earrings was standing there. 

"Ma!" He jumped up and hugged her.

She was crying as she embraced him, saying, "Oh, my baby boy!"

"Ma, I'm so sorry! I should have listened to you and stayed home. I'm so so sorry!" 

"I was looking for you," she sobbed. "I missed you so much." She was stroking his face and she asked, "What happened?" 

"I got lost after dark. I hadn't been in that neighborhood before and I fell into a retention pond," he replied. "I tried to tell you when you came looking for me, but you couldn't see me." 

"Oh sweetie," she said and kissed both of his cheeks before hugging him tight again. "I love you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't see you, I'm so glad I found you." 

They held each other, and Klaus could see they were fading. Cal turned back and said, "Thank you." 

"Say hi to Ben and Scarlet," Klaus replied. 

And they were gone.

Klaus fell back, not blacking out like last time with Scarlet, but he was low on energy. He lay on the ground for he wasn't sure how long. He felt like he'd been ridden hard and put away wet. He closed his eyes and wondered if it would be a bad idea to smoke a cigarette. After attempting to lift his hand to get one and failing six times in a row, he gave up.

"Klaus?"

"Satan?" he mumbled. Sometime between when Cal had left and this moment, his eyes had closed. He slowly opened them to see Diego staring down at him. "Oh, it's you. Go away." 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Diego asked. "You drunk?"

"I wish." 

Diego helped him to sit up. "You're whiter than a piece of chalk. What the hell have you been doing?" 

"Stuff." 

"What are you on?" Diego sounded disappointed and Klaus rolled his eyes.

"Nothing! I was helping someone." 

"Oh yeah? Who were you helping?" 

"A ghost." 

Diego frowned. "And how were you helping a ghost?" 

"None of your beeswax put me down. I need a nap." 

Diego didn't listen. Instead, he picked Klaus up, slung him over his shoulder, and carried him out of the library. 

Klaus closed his eyes, and the next time he opened them he was back in his room. Diego was sitting in a chair near the bed, flicking a butterfly knife back and forth. Klaus sighed and tried to burrow under the covers. 

"I'm not on anything, you can fuck off any time now." 

"I believe you," Diego replied. "I'd be able to smell it if you were. What the hell were you doing anyway?" 

"Allison tell you about my new friends?"

"You mean the two dozen ghosts you have hanging around? Yes." 

Well, he knew that was going to happen. They were probably all hanging out together and trading notes about what a fuck up he was. "It's getting a bit cramped so I thought I'd see about making some room." Klaus had covered his head with the blanket, and couldn't see Diego. He could hear him shifting around in his chair, though. 

"How are you doing that?" 

"Trying to help them get to heaven, or hell or whatever's out there. I guess God's okay with that because I don't see anyone getting bounced back. She is so mean though." 

"Okay, I can't tell if you're bullshitting me or not," Diego said.

"I'm not, not that it matters you don't fucking care."

"Of course I do."

"Then why'd you tell Five to leave me in 1963?" 

"What?" 

Klaus groaned and threw the covers off, rolling over so he was facing Diego. "I heard what you said to him. '50 bucks if you leave him here'." 

"I was joking." The frown on his face suggested otherwise. Diego, much like Luther, always got defensive when he got called out. 

"Oh yeah? You also told Ben to stay in my body because you needed someone serious."

"This coming from the guy who told me I look like Antonio Banderas when Vanya was about to kill all of us. Again. You also said you'd leave me under a tractor." 

"I did that so you'd think we had a chance and we weren't about to die horribly!" Klaus exclaimed. "If a situation's at a point where I'm joking around, can't be that serious, right? Not that it matters. Joking, serious, you guys don't listen to a fucking word I say anyway. But I'm not a serious person, it's why you wanted Ben and not me." 

Diego at least had the good grace to look embarrassed. "I didn't mean--"

"Then when I puked up Ben you told Five I was overdosing. Which if you really thought that why not take me to a hospital?" Klaus rolled over so his back was facing Diego. "I know you don't like me but what the fuck was that about?" 

"Hold on," said Diego. "You were throwing up because of Ben?"

"I didn't want him inside me anymore and it was the only way to get him out," Klaus muttered. He still felt disgusting when he thought of it like there was a live snake twisting around his heart and lungs. "He overstepped. We had ground rules for him possessing me and he fucking ignored them. It's why I was trying to get rid of him, I wanted my body back." 

"What do you mean he overstepped?"

Oh, yeah, Klaus totally wanted to have a conversation with Diego about Ben's complete disregard for consent. He could understand in retrospect why Ben had done it. Really, he could. If Klaus were a ghost and he found out he could possess, say, Five so he could live again? He'd be all over it. That didn't change how gross it felt when Ben took things too far. 

"He wanted to have sex with a girl, using my body to do it," Klaus said. "I think he thought because I have sex with nearly everybody it wouldn't be a big deal. But it was. Jill would have been fucking him thinking it was me and that isn't right. I know he had a huge crush on her and like, dying a virgin has got to suck. I still didn't like it." 

Diego let out a low whistle. Klaus heard him get up and felt the bed dip as he sat down. "I had no idea." Diego put a hand on Klaus's shoulder and squeezed. 

Klaus didn't reply. He was still refusing to look at Diego. The truth was, Klaus was still angry with him. Finding out that Dave and Diego were friends, and on top of that everything that went down in Dallas, a rift had formed. Diego hadn't been around to mend it, and he didn't seem all that interested in doing so. 

"Well, sorry I couldn't keep everyone's favorite brother around." 

Diego didn't reply. Klaus was surprised he'd even stuck around. Diego wasn't exactly known for sharing his feelings. It wasn't that he wasn't good at it, simply that manly men didn't share feelings. Or maybe that was some vicious stereotype. Whatever, Diego was always tight-lipped about his emotions. 

"I think Allison's right, we need to get you out of here."

Klaus turned onto his back, looking at Diego. "What?"

"She said you're driving yourself nuts. No family, no friends besides dead people. It'd be good for you to get out. Maybe we should find another job for you," he said. 

"They're not going to let me take the test again," said Klaus with a sigh. "And I'm not crazy, you're an asshole." 

"Yeah, I am, but that's not the issue," Diego said. "Maybe they won't let you test again, but it's not a great idea to have a medium working in a job that mostly involves the dead. There has to be another department." 

"What are you doing these days?" 

"Security."

Klaus snorted. "Is that why you showed up in the library?"

"Yes," said Diego. "I got a report about a confused, possibly inebriated employee passed out in the back stacks. I thought it might be Five."

"Makes a habit of getting drunk in libraries, does he?"

"You have no idea." Diego was looking away now. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all that shit to you. I had no idea Ben took it too far. He doesn't seem the type."

"He told me himself he didn't regret it," Klaus said, rubbing at his face. 

"Was it just Ben?"

Klaus blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Was it just Ben who could possess you?" 

He paused, then said, "Oh shit, I have no idea. Oh ew, I hope I don't get possessed by Bloody Bones."

"Who the hell is Bloody Bones?"

"The pirate, remember? The one who cut my face open at lunch?"

"He's still around?" Diego exclaimed, getting to his feet. His knife was in his hand like it would do him any fucking good, and he was searching the room.

"Not right now," Klaus said. "There's the Shining twin knock offs, a jazz baby with a bullet in her head, four cowboys, a sailor, and an accountant. The meaner ghosts seem to be taking a holiday. Or possibly they're plotting against me, I don't know."

Diego frowned at him again. "How many ghosts are there down here?"

"I dunno, like 50? Not every job has a ghost but some do. They follow me back after we dump the body and I can't get rid of them. Or I wasn't able to before. I might have a way now," Klaus said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm still pretty wiped out, to be honest. But at least I didn't faint like last time."

"Hold on, you fainted?" 

"Blacked out, fainted, whatever." 

Diego was sitting on the edge of the bed again, knife put away. He was studying Klaus, and he said, "I'm going to talk to Jim over in housing."

"Why?" 

"You're moving back in with us, where we can keep an eye on you," Diego said. 

Klaus frowned. "Hey!"

"Hey what?" 

"You don't get to make that decision for me!" Klaus growled. "I'm fucking sick of you, Luther, Allison, and Five all deciding what's best!" 

"You're hanging out with ghosts and knocking yourself unconscious! How in the hell is that good for you, Klaus? Allison's right, you're spending too much time with the dead. You need to come back to us, rejoin the family." 

He rolled his eyes again and muttered, "No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's my decision! You can't live my life for me, Diego. I may be a fuck up and I may not make the best judgment calls. But it's my body, my powers, and my life. You don't get to take that away from me because you all think I'm stupid and irresponsible."

"You are irresponsible."

"I'm also older than most of you except for Five. I'm not letting you push me around anymore." 

Two weeks ago, Klaus would have done anything to be living with his siblings again. But between Allison's offer to erase his memories and now Diego telling him what to do, it was too much. Yes, he had been hasty in disowning his siblings that day in the cafeteria. Their response though was beginning to make Klaus think he made the right call. They were a bunch of control freaks, just like Dad, and they wouldn't be happy until they could mold him into something they could use. 

Diego leaned over Klaus and said, "I'll be back to talk when you've calmed down. You're not staying down here." 

"You're not the boss of me," Klaus shot back. "Get out." 

Diego left. Klaus had one of the ghosts close and lock the door before rolling over to get some much-needed sleep. 


	9. a liquor store or two keeps the gas tank full

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's very late and I'm pretty frazzled from job hunting. Hope you enjoy the new chaper.

Dave made sure to check the schedules for when Four would be off duty. He'd had yet to return to work himself, as his next mission wasn't ready, according to Dot. They'd had a long talk about Four, and the requests denying Dave the opportunity to see him.

"Is that why you never approved them? He was working here the whole time?"

"Not at all," Dot replied. "The Numbers are a bit odd, you've seen that. They're a special case within the Commission and interaction with them previously was only allowed for personnel with high-level clearance."

Dave sighed. "You could have just told me he's working in Sanitation." 

"I wanted to," said Dot. "I asked for approval but hadn't heard back before you two saw each other in the cafeteria." 

"Why is he working down there anyway?" Dave asked. It didn't make sense. Sure, Four was goofy but he was also charismatic and he had a gift. He should have been working in the higher departments with his siblings. 

Dot pursed her lips. "I was curious about that myself, so I pulled his assessment test." She opened a drawer in her desk, took out a file, then handed it to Dave. "Take a look."

He picked it up and opened it. The test was pretty standard, Dave had taken something like it when he'd first entered the Marines. Four's test had a lot of doodles on it, and the answers he did write down didn't make any sense. "Did he understand the questions?" Dave asked. 

"I'm not sure," Dot replied. 

"Listen to this. Question: what is the theory of the fifth dimension? Answer: "Nice and Smooth", and he drew a picture of a bald guy in a leather jacket." 

"I'm not sure why that question is still on there. Most people haven't heard that theory before working here and it's not in orientation," she said. 

"Also it's pretty advanced physics, like 'must have at least two doctorates to fully comprehend' kind of advanced. I don't even fully understand it and I've been working here for three years."

Dave continued to look through the test. All the answers appeared to be off the wall gibberish. "Did Stanley sit down with him and talk about this?" 

Dot shook her head. "No, he was rather put off by Four. Stanley doesn't have much of a sense of humor and he thought Four was making a joke at his expense. He assigned him to Sanitation and after seeing the test we were inclined to agree with his decision."

"Do you mind if I look into it?" Dave asked.

"Not at all."

"I'm going to take this with me." He closed the folder and headed for the door. 

"You do that. And Gadget?" 

He stopped and turned around. 

Dot was standing now, drawing herself up to her full height. "Fraternization isn't prohibited at the Commission. However, if it interferes with your duties you may face censure. Keep that in mind." 

"I will, ma'am, thank you."

And Dave left. 

Now he had a free day and so did Four. He went down into the lower levels to find him.

This time, Four was standing in front of the elevator. Clearly, he'd been waiting for it, and his eyes went wide as dinner plates when he saw Dave. Four was wearing shiny silver leggings, a black sleeveless tunic top, white ankle boots, and black eyeliner. His hair was pushed back from his face with a silver Alice band, and he had the thin strap of a purse across his chest.

"Going somewhere?" Dave asked.

"What are you doing here?" Four asked at the same time. 

"Came to find you. Do you have a few minutes?" 

"Darling, my schedule is packed." Four pretended to check a watch he was not wearing. "I'm going to tea with Queen Victoria in a few minutes and she is not amused when one is late."

Dave laughed. "No, really. Can we talk?"

Four sighed and said, "Fine." Drawn out like he was being put upon, and boarded the elevator. 

He pressed the button for the main floor and said, "Let's go out on the grounds, it's a beautiful day."

"How could it not be when they literally control the weather?" Four asked. 

"Sometimes they make it rain. It's good for the plants." 

"I'll believe it when I see it." 

When they reached the main floor, they headed outside, Dave holding the door open for Four as they went on the grounds. Four paused for a moment, staring at Dave holding the door open. He opened his mouth as though to say something, then seemed to think better of it and walked through. Dave followed after him. 

They weren't the only people on the grounds. A few employees stared as Dave and Four passed, some openly so. One woman took her sunglasses off to watch him walk by. Dave always tried to be a gentleman, but he glared at her until she turned her head away. He sighed, he couldn't believe how rude some people were. 

"Well, at least if I'm in a cage, it's a nice one," Klaus muttered. "It could be worse. There could be people pointing and gawking at me. Oh, wait, there are. Now I know what it's like to be in a zoo."

"Animals at the zoo don't get to wander around the park," Dave pointed out.

Klaus shrugged. "Not like I'd know, I've never been to one. I've seen them on TV though." 

As they wandered the paths, Dave said, "So I was looking at your assessment test."

"Ugh, God," Four groaned. "Everyone has been up my ass about that stupid test. Look, that Colin Robinson looking dude said we only take it once and I'm sick of people bringing it up. I'm sorry I don't test well. Fuck." 

Dave held a hand up, saying, "Hey, stop. It's not a criticism. Admittedly your math and physics scores weren't great, but they don't have to be unless you're going into R&D or Metaphysics. And you scored highly on the weapons and hand to hand sections." 

He shrugged. "Kinda hard to forget some things." He didn't look at Dave as he said it. He took a pack of cigarettes out of his purse and offered one to Dave. Dave shook his head and Four lit the cigarette, saying, "Hope you don't mind."

"It's okay, most of the upper management smoke. You get used to it," he replied. 

"I guess they don't know that second-hand smoke kills." Four then turned his head and frowned. "Well, it won't kill you, no. It's from a TV ad. Yeah, they had these ads telling people if they love their kids or whatever not to smoke around them because they'll die." 

"Who are you talking to?" Dave asked.

"Don't worry about it," Four replied. 

"A ghost?"

"Obviously." 

Dave sighed. "Look, I understand if you don't want to talk about this. But from what I can tell you're a brilliant, creative person and your talent is being wasted in Sanitation." 

"Talked to my siblings lately have you?"

"About this?" He held up the file. "No. About you, yes." 

Four took a drag off his cigarette and exhaled. "What'd they tell you?" 

Dave, who thought he might regret this, told him about the conversation with Two. He then said, "You've come up a couple of times in the past, but they've been reluctant to say anything outside of you having a substance abuse problem." 

"Figures," he said. Four didn't look angry so much as sad. 

"Hey," Dave stopped in his tracks, and Four followed suit. "I just want to help you. You're not at all like I remember and it worries me." 

"What, I'm not drunk and stupid and trying to con you into joining my cult? You remember that fondly?" There was a heavy dose of bitterness in his voice. 

"I remember someone who looked like he was in pain just breathing the same air as me. Who despite trying his best to be subtle was the loudest and most interesting person I'd ever met. And…" Dave trailed off, then sighed before continuing. 

"The point isn't so much that I'm trying to get you promoted or reassigned. I'm curious about your answers because they don't make sense. I don't get the impression that you were purposefully trying to flub the test. More like you were answering in a language the Commission doesn't understand." 

Four watched him hesitantly, as though he were afraid Dave might strike him. And then he nodded. "Okay, fine. What do you want to know?" 

He flipped to the page about the fifth dimension. "What's this all about?" 

"It's King Mob," he said, as though that explained it. At Dave's blank look he said, "Oh, right. He's a character from The Invisibles, it's a comic book series from the 1990s. Weird shit, too. You should check it out. There's a whole bit about time travel in there you'd probably find funny. I know I do."

They started walking again, and Dave flipped to another part of the test. "And this?" 

The question was about which event in history Klaus had detailed knowledge of, and the answer was drawn in hieroglyphics that none of the people working at the Commission could either recognize or decipher. 

"It says "The Galactic Civil War", it's from Star Wars. You know, a long time ago in a galaxy far far away? I was kidding. I don't have a favorite period in history, it's too depressing," he said. 

"No one here could figure out what it said." 

"That's because I wrote it in Aurebesh, it's the made-up alphabet they use in the movies. I figured there had to be at least one geek who'd get a kick out of it. Seriously, no one knew? I thought a place like the Commission would be crawling with science fiction nerds." Four stopped and dropped his cigarette, and ground it out with his heel. He then picked up the butt and shoved it in the pack. 

Dave laughed. "I guess not." He then flipped to another page. "And here, when asked who your favorite historical figure is you wrote 'not Joan of Arc'. Are you being sarcastic or what?" 

"I had this dream once that Five tried to get rid of me by dumping me in Medieval France with Joan of Arc's regiment," Four said. "More of a nightmare really. Much like not having a favorite time in history, I don't have a favorite historical figure. Like, they're dead, what do I care? Besides after the whole Lincoln Memorial incident and the bit where I can, you know, talk to dead people? Historical figures suck."

"Hm, I suppose I could see that," he said. Dave closed the file and then asked, "Who's the rudest historical figure you've ever met?"

"Just in general or as a ghost?"

"Either."

Four considered that, chewing his lip as he thought. "I'm gonna go with Gustav Eiffel. He made himself into a zombie robot and converted the Eiffel Tower into a rocket ship that also killed people. Like, who does that?"

"I don't think I've heard that one," said Dave.

"I don't think it's happened in this timeline. Or if it has, it was taken care of by the Sparrow Academy." 

They had done a full circuit around the grounds by this time. Dave checked his watch, then asked, "Would you like to see a movie with me?" 

"What?" Four stopped, staring at Dave as though he couldn't believe his ears. 

"They're playing The Ghost and Mrs. Muir down at the cinema downstairs. I was going to catch it this afternoon. Mama loved that movie. She said it was the most romantic film she'd ever seen," he said. 

"Is this a date?" Four was frowning. 

"No," said Dave. "I didn't mean like a date. I only meant that's why my Mama loved it so much. No, it's not a date. Just as friends?" He was suddenly so unsure, which was nonsense. Dave had already told himself there wouldn't be any funny business with Four. It was hard to keep that promise when Four stood in front of him, gorgeous as ever, but with a deep sadness in his expression that made Dave want to embrace him. 

Four crossed his arms over his chest, in a way that reminded Dave of Three. He was turning it over in his mind. He then tilted his head to the side, probably listening to someone that Dave wouldn't be able to see or hear. He wondered if it was that motherly ghost he'd seen Four with the first time. He then looked at Dave and said, "I'd love to." 

"Great! We should get going, it's going to start in twenty minutes and I want to get some popcorn," Dave said. "Just let me drop this off first."

"Lead the way."

They walked back inside. They did stop at Dot's office, however, she wasn't in and the door was locked, so Dave pushed the file under her door. Once that was done, they took the elevator to the recreation level. When the doors opened, Four's eyes widened and they stepped into the hall. 

"So this is what it looks like," he murmured. 

"Yeah. Three says it looks like a shopping mall," Dave said. 

"Nah, I'd say more like a department store," Four said. "Or maybe an airport." 

Dave could see that. The floors were linoleum and looked like what you'd see at Macy's or maybe Gimbel's. As they walked there were shops with mannequins out front, lunch counters with hostesses waving people inside, even one or two salespeople demonstrating the newest wares to Commission employees. Not to mention glass case after glass case filled with everything from watches and jewelry to electric razors and record players.

As they passed the deli, Dave asked, "You been down here much?"

Four shook his head. "No. I mean, once with Al--Three, when she took me to breakfast but I was so hungover I don't remember much of it." 

"Why not? You're not restricted anymore, you could come down here any time you like." 

"I get a lot of weird looks from people," Four replied. 

It was true. As they walked past, more than one employee stopped to stare at them. Dave was wearing a simple madras shirt, jeans, and loafers which didn't stand out much. Four on the other hand was much more vibrant and alluring. Dave stopped that train of thought right there. They were going to the movies, and they were going as friends. 

"Where do you get those clothes anyway? They're not standard at the stores here."

"Mail-order catalogs. I circle what I want, they charge my account, clothes are delivered to my room," Klaus explained. 

"That makes sense."

"I was wondering. The people who work in the stores and stuff here, are they like, Commission employees or no?" Klaus asked. 

"They're contracted workers," Dave said. "They work for Manteau LLC. Manteau has an agreement with the Commission to provide retail, food service, and customer service personnel for the recreation areas down here. While the Commission has the final say in who works where and even dictates employee policy, they still work for Manteau."

"So they work for another company the Commission has hired? Why go that extra step? That seems stupid." 

"I don't know. I never really thought about it," Dave admitted.

"How do they know that the people working for Manteau aren't like, spies, or anti-Commission nut jobs?" Four was fiddling with the strap on his purse. 

That made Dave pause. "That's a good question. I assume there must be some kind of a screening process but I don't know much about it. That sort of thing is handled by HR. I suppose you could always ask One. He'd handle a lot of that." 

Four scoffed. "Please. Number One would just as soon launch me into the sun as talk about the Commission's hiring practices." 

"Why aren't you guys getting along?" Dave asked. 

"My brothers and sisters are on this holier than thou kick where they think because I'm a dumbass junkie I shouldn't be allowed to make decisions for myself. Like, any decisions at all." Four was scowling now, and it didn't look natural on him. He didn't strike Dave as someone who was angry often. "If they had their way I'd probably be wearing whatever that is," he gestured to a charcoal gray suit and hat, "and selling Bibles or something."

"You're not stupid," Dave said. 

"Sure I'm not. I'll prove it by winning the Nobel prize in chemistry by creating super meth," Four muttered. 

"Wait a minute." Dave took him by the shoulders and made Four look at him. "I meant what I said. You're not stupid. I figured that out from the moment I met you."

"You don't know me," Four said, voice soft and pained. The fluorescent lights were making his eyes shine an especially deep forest green. 

"Maybe not, but what I do know about you is pretty damn impressive. Stop belittling yourself, you're worth more than you think," said Dave. 

Four put his hands over Dave's wrists and gave them a squeeze. "Thank you." 

"Don't mention it." He let Four go, but couldn't resist putting an arm around his shoulders. "Come on, if we don't hurry we can't get any popcorn."

"There better not be a hole in the bottom of the bucket," Four said. "I mean, I'm down for it if you are because exhibitionism is my bag but it might be a bit much for a just friends movie outing." 

Dave was caught off guard by the comment, and he laughed. 

Four threw his head back and cackled and Dave couldn't take his eyes off him. 

Sad, happy, it didn't matter. Four was still the most beautiful man that Dave had ever met. And this outing was starting to turn into more of a date than he'd intended. It made Dave's heart light, but also guilty. Four was going through a tough time, he didn't need Dave's stupid hormones making it worse. 

Still, there was no harm in looking. And as they approached the cinema, Four's face lit up like the Fourth of July. Dave's heart skipped a beat.

He was in over his head.

* * *

"I still don't see what's so romantic about some chick and a ghost."

"Trust me, it's a really sweet story." 

Klaus shrugged, relishing the feel of Dave's arm around him. He expected Dave to freak out and pull his arm away. He thought it was cute how Dave kept insisting this was friends only. And Klaus really was trying his best to abide by that. However, Dave couldn't hide the fact he was watching Klaus out of the corner of his eye. Klaus knew that look intimately from the bar in Saigon. 

He wouldn't push though. Dave was obviously having issues. As much as Klaus wanted to leap on the opportunity to get him back, there was an equal risk of scaring him away. Klaus was willing to play it cool if it meant that Dave would come around. 

There was no guarantee that his assumption was right. It was what Klaus had said. Just that one little change could have morphed Dave into a completely different person. He was certainly more closed off than Klaus remembered. He had to admit if Klaus had become a time-traveling assassin he wouldn't allow himself to be vulnerable either. 

When Dave had first appeared in the lower levels, Klaus was genuinely surprised. He'd been heading out at the insistence of Libby, who gently bullied him into it. Not necessarily to make new friends, he made other people at the Commission very uneasy. Just out in the simulated fresh air and sunshine, since she felt it was good for him. 

Also to get him away from Bloody Bones, whom Klaus was now trying to talk to so he could get him to move on. It wasn't going well, and Bloody Bones had actually clocked him pretty good the previous night. It seemed as though the pirate's only mission in life was to hurt and kill people. Klaus wondered if maybe Bloody Bones killed someone he would make him disappear. 

Libby pestered him until he got dressed and left the dorm, and when she saw Dave she said, "Oh! Kismet." 

He'd ignored her, though Klaus rolled his eyes when Dave brought up the assessment test. Klaus was sick to death of hearing about it. It was interesting that Dave was so persistent to find a method to Klaus's madness. It had been like that in Vietnam, too. Dave found Klaus fascinating because he was bizarre, off the wall, and unfiltered. Klaus in return had liked Dave because he was such an optimistic, positive person.

That hadn't changed, which secretly warmed Klaus's heart. 

When they went to the snack counter, Dave did move his arm away and Klaus had to keep from whining. They got popcorn and chocolate covered almonds, and Klaus was delighted to see they had an old fashioned soda fountain and requested a strawberry soda, saying, "I got hooked on these in 1961."

"They are pretty good," Dave said. 

They went into the theater and settled in the back. Klaus was surprised how few people were actually there. A cartoon was playing which no one was paying attention to, so Klaus figured it was okay to talk. He sipped his soda and asked, "So, what have you been up to lately?" 

"Outside of work? Not much. I've been reading a little more but I'm working on a new invention so I haven't kept up with that either," he said. 

"Invention? Pray tell." 

Dave grinned. "It's a Babelfish." 

Klaus's jaw dropped and he laughed, smacking Dave's arm. "You're kidding! Like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?" 

"Exactly. Not everyone here speaks more than one or two languages. It would make our jobs easier. Translation technology has come a long way but I think it could go further. They have some stuff in Metaphysics that are pretty close," Dave told him. 

"It would probably open up a lot of jobs here at the Commission too," Klaus pointed out. "I noticed everyone speaks English and it's kinda weird you know? If there's a universal translator they'd be able to switch it up."

"Do you speak any other languages? I know English and some Vietnamese and that's about it." 

Klaus nodded. "Yeah. I know English, German, Swedish, and Russian." 

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Interesting combination."

"Well, German was because that's where I'm originally from. Swedish because I thought it sounded kind of funny. Russian because I remember learning it with Seven and Three." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "To be fair I don't know how fluent I am in Russian anymore. Or Swedish for that matter." 

"I didn't know you were German." 

"Me neither until Mom gave me an actual name instead of the number that Dad saddled me with." 

Dave looked as though he were going to ask a question, but then the theater lights dimmed and the movie started. And it was a cute movie. Completely inaccurate when it came to ghosts, but cute. The leads were attractive, though not Klaus's type at all. And really, the movie was hilarious. It started out as a comedy but then got more into the romance and drama. Klaus heard Dave sigh, and he muttered, "What's wrong?" 

"It must be terrible for them," Dave whispered. "To not be able to touch each other." 

"I know the feeling," Klaus said before he could stop himself.

Dave wasn't looking at him, he was watching the screen. But he'd held himself separate from Klaus as though afraid of hurting him. However, a moment later his fingers were gently brushing against the back of Klaus's hand. He turned his hand over, and Dave laced their fingers together. 

Klaus had to keep from screaming at the top of his lungs. His heart leaped and then did a samba around his chest. He bit his lip to keep from making any noise, not really succeeding because he did make a small squeak. Dave's hand twitched, but he didn't let go. 

It was when the titular Mrs. Muir was crying over the guy she'd just dumped (because it turned out the dude was already married and had kids which what the fuck?) Klaus couldn't help a couple of tears. She was so heartbroken and Klaus knew how that felt. Especially since she clearly was super in love with Captain Greg aka the ghost and had only turned to the dickhead for comfort. Klaus sniffed, trying to play it cool, but Dave was handing him a handkerchief to dry his eyes. 

When Klaus handed it back, Dave said, "Goddammit. This is a date, isn't it?" 

"Uh… yeah?" He did his best to play it cool but holy shit Klaus was not even a little bit cool. He felt like he'd won the lottery and the Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes on the same day.

"You're peculiar," Dave said, keeping his voice down, though Klaus could see one or two people shooting them dirty looks. "And beautiful. I've always thought so, and I'd love the chance to know you the way you know me." 

"Shhh!" One of the other patrons hissed. 

"After the movie, beautiful," Klaus said and patted the side of his face with his free hand. Dave still had his other hand in a tight but comfortable grip. 

The movie ended with the two characters walking off together to heaven or hell or who the hell knew. It was surprisingly lovely for a movie that ended with the leading lady's death. The lights came up and people filed out. One guy was glaring at Dave and Klaus, but Klaus just grinned at him and blew him a kiss.

Dave laughed at that. "Would you like to go for a coffee?" 

"Sure." 

They disposed of their empty drink and snack containers and left the cinema. Dave was still holding Klaus's hand when they walked out, and Klaus wanted to skip down the lane. 

They found themselves at a department store lunch counter and ordered coffee. Klaus was still kind of full from the popcorn so he didn't want anything to eat. Dave on the other hand ordered two glazed donuts and ate them in quick succession. 

"You still eat like a horse," Klaus observed with a smile.

"One day it's probably going to catch up with me," Dave said. 

"Well I know I'm not worried about keeping my girlish figure. I've been skinny as a broomstick since I was fourteen and I'm in my thirties now."

He smiled at Klaus as he finished his donuts. "Were you like this as a kid too?"

"A flamboyant weirdo? Yeah pretty much." 

"I'd have liked to have known you back then," Dave said, sounding almost wistful.

"If you're looking for blackmail material forget it. There's nothing I've done that I'm embarrassed about and I've done a lot." He sipped his coffee after saying it then made a face. It was too bitter. He dumped a huge heaping of sugar and cream in it, nearly making it overflow into the saucer. Klaus carefully stirred it then drank again. 

"Really? Nothing?" Dave asked with a raised eyebrow.

Klaus shrugged. "It's not that I'm not capable of shame, despite what my siblings might tell you. It's more like…" He trailed off, trying to think of how to put it into words. "I see ghosts every day. And they all die in a variety of ways. Sometimes it's sudden like a boat accident or a rabid raccoon being thrown in their face. Other times it's after a super long illness or because I mean, living to a hundred and four is one hell of a feat but you can't go on indefinitely. Ghosts hang around because they didn't get the chance to do something or say something."

"Because of regrets?" Dave was drinking his coffee too, turned towards Klaus. He had Dave's undivided attention and it had been so long it made Klaus grin. 

"Yeah exactly. Lots of regrets. I try not to get hung up on those because I don't want to end up like that when I die. Assuming I can at all." He paused, and added, "I probably shouldn't have said that."

"What did you mean by it?" 

Klaus shrugged, trying to play it off. "I kind of had a near-death experience a while back. And then I was back and had to deal with the fact God hates me and told me to get the fuck out of heaven. I still can't believe my Dad was there! He was such a prick, and he gets eternal peace? Though… In the new timeline, he's still alive so maybe he'll go to hell when he dies. That would be pretty amazing." 

Dave was staring at Klaus, and then he asked, "I kind of feel like you should be joking about this but you're telling me the truth."

"You always were the perceptive one." 

Klaus had finished his coffee by this time and was giving puppy dog eyes to the counterman for a refill. He raised an eyebrow at Klaus but poured him another cup. 

"Have you told your siblings about this?" Dave asked.

Klaus shook his head. "No, they wouldn't believe me."

"That's a pretty serious thing to lie about."

"I lied a lot when we were kids. Like, about stupid things too like the sky will turn green if they spin in circles a hundred times or that there's an ax murderer in the basement. Like, after a while I was the boy who cried ghost so even when I was telling the truth they'd blow me off. I did it to myself so I can't really complain."

"Why?"

Klaus looked at Dave. "Why what?" 

Dave was leaning his elbows on the counter, watching Klaus as though he were trying to solve a puzzle. "Why lie like that?" 

"Attention, mostly. One, Two, and Three were Dad's special project though he really favored One and Three the most. Two he kind of liked to push around because he's got a hero complex and an inferiority complex that are, like, super easy to take advantage of.

"When Five was still around, he, Six, and Seven were pretty tight because they were the smarties and had their own little nerd club. Then after Five disappeared Seven was isolated a lot but in the early days, it wasn't like that. With everyone else grouped together, I decided if I couldn't find room I'd make room." 

"And later?" 

"Later it became a habit. Also, I was trying to keep everyone distracted from the fact I was usually drunk or high. And it worked for a while but not so well the last two years we were all together." 

"Jeez Louise, that's awful." 

Klaus frowned. "What?" 

"That you've had those problems for so long. It must have been really tough for you to quit."

He tried to blow it off. "I'm not a martyr you know. A lot of the time I'd detox just to retox as the song goes. Or because I ran out of money and couldn't find a dealer that would exchange a blowjob for the good stuff." 

Dave didn't even blink. Klaus just admitted that he'd prostitute himself for drugs and it was like it didn't even matter. "Still, any period of sobriety was probably a struggle. And nowadays?"

"Still drinking but I've been clean for… I'm not sure." Which was a lie, of course, Klaus knew exactly how long it had been. He didn't want to tell Dave because, at some point, he'd come to his senses and see Klaus was a loser. 

"Why do you do it?" He asked. 

Klaus was looking into those baby blues, the sincerity of the question without a mark of pity on it. People had asked the same question before but it was usually in annoyance or the clinical monotone of the rehab counselor who really didn't get paid enough to babysit him. He almost lied. He could make up a wild story. He could say something that would make Dave laugh. Because this was a very serious conversation and Klaus hated those.

Except… Klaus remembered how Dave had made himself vulnerable in Vietnam. He'd opened up to Klaus and told him everything about himself. While Klaus hadn't exactly been tight-lipped, he'd never told Dave about a few important things like how he'd time traveled from the future or how the reason he was so easily distracted was he was seeing ghosts left and right. 

He'd promised himself that once the war was over, he'd tell Dave everything. 

Of course, he'd never gotten the chance because Dave died. 

Only now, he was alive. They were sitting together at a lunch counter, having disgusting coffee after having seen a movie that actually was pretty romantic if not far fetched. 7/10 stars or however many you're supposed to rate a movie with, whatever, Klaus didn't know. This was his chance to start over. To confide in Dave the way that Dave had confided in him. 

Klaus took a deep breath, then sighed. "I started doing drugs because I couldn't control my powers. I'm not like the others, my powers don't turn off. Like right now there's a ghost in the kitchen wandering around looking for something. Then one day I tried marijuana and the ghosts disappeared.

"I figured out if I fucked myself up with enough alcohol or chemicals no more screaming phantoms. But then as I started to slide into heavier stuff I knew it wasn't just about the ghosts. The truth was… I liked being high. I didn't have to think about anything. I could forget my problems and drift away on a river of pleasant numbness." 

"I'm so sorry," Dave said. He reached over and patted the back of Klaus's hand. 

"I'm not, I miss being high, but there aren't any drug dealers at the Commission so it's not like I can go back to all my bad habits. Like, I still can't turn off my powers but there are other things I can do to make the ghosts go away. I'm still working out the kinks." 

Dave didn't reply to that, but he was holding Klaus's hand again and they fell quiet. 

Klaus sighed. "I'm waiting for you to give up and walk away. As first dates go this is depressing and should send up so many red flags."

"I asked," Dave said. "If I didn't want to know I wouldn't have. Thank you though for being honest."

"How do you know I'm not lying?" 

At that, Dave actually chuckled. "When you lie you get this little tic on the left side of your mouth like you're trying to keep from smiling." 

"You are good. You are very, very good Mr. Katz."

"Why thank you, Mr. Hargreeves." 

"New topic?" 

"Name it."

"Did you ever read Dune?" 

"Yes! You were right, it became my favorite book of all time."

They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting. They didn't stray back to the darker subjects, but Klaus felt lighter now that he talked to Dave. He'd let Dave in, and instead of getting scared off like a sensible person, he wanted to know more. And Klaus for once didn't try to cover up with stupid jokes or outlandish statements. 

It was nice to be known, just a little. 


	10. and i feel like there's nothing left to do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have some bad news.
> 
> The hiatus for _Until The End of Everything_ starts today. 
> 
> I do still have enough chapters to get through the end of the month, the problem is I am out of time to edit and post those chapters. The job hunt has been more intense than I originally thought and it's only going to get tougher from here now that I'm also working on getting my apartment cleared out. I'm still going to update my Whumptober fic for as long as I can manage, but I have to pump the breaks on this story. I apologize for the late notice but it's a decision I only came to last night. 
> 
> I will return to posting as soon as possible, hopefully after the move is complete. Please make sure you're subscribed to this story as I don't have a definite time frame as to when I'll be back to weekly posting. In the meantime, stay safe.

Their first official date was pretty simple. Having lunch together in the cafeteria. Dave was still waiting for his new assignment. Not just that, but he'd spoken with Dot about some of the things Four had said during their date (nothing personal of course, Dave wasn't a gossip). And how it struck him that Four might be smarter than he let on. 

"His answers on the test are pop culture references. It seems to be how he relates to things," said Dave. 

"It's possible," Dot said, looking over his report. After the unintentional date, Dave had written down what Klaus's answers meant. Of the ones he could remember. 

"I know he said reassessment isn't possible but is reassignment? I don't like the idea of Four being around that many dead people, not with what he can do," Dave said. 

"You have a good point. I'll tell you what," said Dot. "I'll ask Christine in HR to give the test another look, she and Holden can research the answers in depth. If they do find there's another department in which he would be better suited, we can reassign him." 

"Thank you," he replied. 

"Not at all. While we're aware of Four's powers, it's difficult to find any use for them here."

"Not unless we want to start charging people to talk to their dead loved ones." 

Dot raised an eyebrow. "Can he do that? Just summon any spirit?"

Dave shrugged. "I don't know. But I do know his powers don't have an on-off switch like the other Numbers." 

"Hm, yes, I could see where that would be an issue. Thank you, Gadget, I'll have someone look into it. Please keep that to yourself, however. I don't want everyone rushing to my door begging for reassignment." 

"Of course." 

That had been a week ago. Dave hadn't wanted to press the issue for fear that Dot would change her mind. It was unlikely as Dot was a very consistent person and not at all prone to being wishy-washy. He wanted to continue with caution, and of course, keep it under his hat. It wouldn't do to get Four's hopes up, then dash them. The man had been through enough already. 

Since their date, Dave and Four kept in constant contact. While they might not see each other every day, they spent their evenings on the phone together, talking at great length. Dave would talk about his day, Four would talk about his, then they would share different tidbits from their lives. Four could always make Dave laugh with his outlandish stories. 

But he couldn't wait to see Four again so he had proposed lunch. Four had enthusiastically agreed, and they met in front of the cafeteria mid-week. Both of them were in uniform and when Four saw Dave he grinned and said, "You make that blue suit look good, Mr. Katz." 

"Thank you, Mr. Hargreeves." 

As they entered the cafeteria, Four asked, "What's with that anyway?"

"What do you mean?" 

"Seems like everyone around here wears blue and nothing _but_ blue. It's bizarre." Four had casually taken Dave's hand as they got in line, and Dave couldn't suppress a smile. 

"I think because blue is considered both calming and professional," said Dave. 

He could see the other Numbers in the center of the cafeteria. They were watching like hawks, and whispering amongst themselves. It made Dave uneasy, but if Four noticed he ignored it. They got their lunch and sat together by the windows, Four clapping his hands in an adorable fashion as he said, "I love Polynesian day."

They ate, not talking for some time, but holding hands under the table. Dave was learning that Four was a very tactile person, and he was not the least bit shy about it. Though it was distracting that sometimes he'd look up and say something random to someone that Dave couldn't see. 

"Who are you talking to today?" Dave asked. 

"Libby. She's been kind of bummed out since I sent Cal to his mom so now we're trying to figure out what it would take to help her move on. And also Bloody Bones because that guy is a dick," Four said.

"The pirate, right?"

"Yeah."

"This is going to sound strange but… Can you kill a ghost?" 

At that, Four sighed and nodded. "Yeah, you can. Kind of, I don't know how it works."

"How do you get them to move on then?"

Four tucked some hair behind his ear. "The first time I didn't mean to, it was an accident. It was this dude who got stabbed by Dot's predecessor and he kinda just vanished? It's weird too because when that happened I didn't get all woozy or pass out. But when I helped Scarlet and Cal, I did. No idea why."

"Is there anyone who might know?"

"My Dad, but I'm not asking him."

Dave frowned. "That's not ideal." 

"Yeah especially since he told my doppelganger to kill me," said Four.

Sensing they probably needed a subject change, Dave said, "You could always talk to Metaphysics. They build people from scratch and deal with all sorts of strange things. They might be able to help you get rid of the pirate ghost."

"I'd rather not," said Four. "I've been by their department before, I didn't like it."

He couldn't help noticing that Four seemed more tired than usual, so he asked, "Are you all right?" 

"I'm not sleeping much. And unlike Five I can't live off coffee," Four replied. 

"How long have you been having trouble sleeping?"

"Oh… Since I got here."

Dave frowned. "Maybe you should see a doctor."

"We have them here? Like, regular doctors?" Four asked.

"Yeah, it's not just the ones at the emergency clinic. There are general practitioners and specialists too." 

"Are they provided by Manteau?"

"No, they're hired by the Commission directly. I told you they only outsource to Manteau for the recreation area staff."

"I still think that's weird. What, does the Commission think they're too good to just hire people for the cafeteria?"

"I think it has more to do with not having experience in such an area and Manteau does."

They'd finished eating by this time, and Four had pushed his tray away. He was still holding Dave's hand and he gave it a slight squeeze. "At least they're letting us have a normal schedule now. I figured Sanitation was just going to be on call forever with no breaks and no vacation."

"I think they only do that for your first few months to sort of test you out," Dave said. 

"That's fun, I mean it's not like I signed a contract or anything that says I'll work until I'm dead," he muttered darkly.

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"That's what the contract says," Four said. "I didn't fully read it until after I signed it which was stupid but I just wanted to get out of there. It was after Ghost Klaus decided he wanted to perform surgery with a fancy railroad spike. I work here until I die. Or they fire me. Though what the hell they'd do after they fire me I don't know."

"If you're fired? They erase your memories and drop you off where they picked you up. If you're lucky," said Dave. 

"Wait, seriously?"

"Yeah, I found that out when one of the other Correctors was using excessive force," he told Four. "Apparently he was a shoot first and ask no questions kind of person, which would have been fine back in the Handler's day but the Commission is doing things differently now. They're even adding a Wardrobe division soon so that we can better blend in when we go back in time. Anyway, the Corrector in question killed someone he wasn't supposed to. A few someones, as a matter of fact, and management had enough as he had three strikes on his record."

"So they just neuralized him and dropped him somewhere?" Four asked.

"Neuralized?"

"It's from Men in Black. They have this little device that when you see the flash it erases your memory."

"Ah, well, kind of. They do have a process for memory erasure, it involves hypnosis and some kind of medication. Except with him, it went wrong, and now he's in the coma ward."

He was surprised to see Four grin. "Wish Scarlet was still around then, I'd love to tell them." 

Dave was about to ask why when Two came over to the table. He wasn't holding his lunch tray, but he did sit down across from Dave and Four without asking first. Dave frowned at that. He knew Two was abrasive but that struck him as particularly rude, especially since Four had already made it clear he didn't want to speak with the other Numbers. 

"Three told me to apologize," he said to Four, as though Dave wasn't even there. 

Four groaned. "I'm not in the mood for this. It's not like you're actually sorry anyway."

"No, she set me straight, and I am sorry. I'm sorry for trying to force you to move in with us," Two said.

"What happened?" Dave asked, looking between the two of them.

When Two didn't elaborate, Four did. "Our brilliant Number Two decided I'm not allowed to make decisions for myself and he was going to take me prisoner." 

"That is not what happened," Two replied. 

"Fine, he said I had to move in with the rest of the family I'm not talking to right now because it's what's best for me," he made sarcastic finger quotes as he said it. 

"Look, F--F--Four," he started, stuttering. Dave didn't know that Two stuttered. 

Four shook his head. "And I'm sick of the stupid numbers. I'm Klaus, you're Diego," he said.

"We're on the clock," Two said.

"So what? We can still call each other by our names. I know I call Dave, Dave," he said. He then added, "You can call me Klaus by the way. I don't like being called Four." He was getting worked up, and Dave didn't want to see him upset again so he took the initiative. 

"Okay, Klaus," Dave said. It was worth it to see Four--no, Klaus, smile at him like he hung the moon. He looked at Two. "I appreciate that you took the time to speak with Klaus, but I feel like this is a private conversation. Maybe one to have at another time?" 

Two was looking at Dave, as though considering his options. Dave half expected Two's temper to get the better of him and a knife to be thrown his way. Instead, he said to Klaus, "After work on Friday. We're having a family dinner and we want you to be there." 

Klaus scoffed. "And cut into my weekend?" But after a moment, he relented and said, "Okay, when and where?" 

"Our room, 2187, at seven o'clock." Two looked at Dave. "You're invited too." 

"But I'm not--" Dave started.

Klaus interrupted with, "You're their friend and my boyfriend. Sounds like family to me."

This was moving way too fast, the inertia was throwing Dave off. But the soft smile on Klaus's face and Two's raised eyebrow made him reconsider. After all, up until recently he and the Numbers had been good friends. And he did still consider them as such, even if things were awkward between Klaus and his other siblings. 

He'd only known Klaus a short time, but Dave knew he'd take a bullet for him. And he felt the same way about the rest of the Numbers. They were all insane, self-centered, and had powers that were not natural. But beneath that, they were also human beings, and despite some bad actions in the past, he could see that at the core, the Hargreeveses were good people. 

Even if Dave didn't approve of their isolation of Klaus, and had yet to speak with them about it, he could understand why they'd felt it was the only way to save him. 

Really, they just needed to communicate better. 

"I'll be there," Dave said. "Should we bring anything?" 

"No, we're just ordering in," Two said. "And… You can call me Diego."

"Dave," he said, holding his free hand out to Two. 

Diego shook it, then said, "Nice to officially meet you. And I meant what I said, if you hurt him they won't find your body." 

"Ditto," Dave replied, which got a surprised look from Diego and a laugh out of Klaus. 

The truth of it was, Dave wasn't kidding. Just because he understood their intentions didn't mean that Dave approved of their actions. He knew the psychological damage that loneliness could do. He'd experienced it every single day when he first started working at the Commission. For most of his life, really, since he couldn't be honest about who he really was. A gay boy in Texas in the fifties and sixties? If he'd confided in anyone he'd have been dead. 

He didn't want that for Klaus. He wanted Klaus to feel loved and cherished, especially by the people he'd grown up with. He hoped this family dinner would help heal some of the wounds that had been caused, though of course, he couldn't say for sure. It was a step in the right direction, and he hoped that the rest of the Hargreeveses felt the same way. 

Diego went back to his siblings, and Dave exhaled. Klaus patted him on the shoulder and said, "Yeah, he has that effect on people."

"Boyfriend, huh?" Dave asked.

At that, Klaus looked unsure, wincing as he said, "It just slipped out?" 

He chuckled. "It's all right."

"So… You're okay with it? Being my boyfriend?"

"Of course I am." He lifted their clasped hands, kissing the back of Klaus's "I'm a lucky fella." 

If Dave didn't know any better, he'd swear Klaus was blushing. "We're setting a record for the longest time holding hands," Klaus said. 

"I'm surprised I haven't gotten a cramp," Dave teased, then squeezed Klaus's hand to let him know he didn't mean it.

Klaus was smiling back at him. "We could make it a contest. The first one to let go has to buy dessert for Friday."

"Didn't he say they were ordering in?"

"Yeah but they never remember dessert and I have a sweet tooth. Believe me, we should definitely bring something with lots of sugar," Klaus said. 

"Anything in particular?"

"I've always been fond of chocolate."

The whistle blew, and Dave sighed. "Back to the grind."

Klaus did end up being the first one to let go, but it was so he could hug Dave. "Call me tonight?" 

"Of course."

They ditched their lunch trays and went their separate ways, Klaus blowing a kiss to Dave before returning to his own department. As Dave went to R&D to take advantage of some free lab time, he knew he was grinning like an idiot. Klaus Hargreeves was his boyfriend. This was going to be the best day of his entire week. 

* * *

"Does this look okay?" Klaus asked, brushing his hair back from his face. He'd already put on his eyeliner and was giving himself another once over in the mirror.

Why the hell was he so nervous? It's his family, the people he's known his entire life. And sure there was that period of like twelve years where he didn't see anyone but Ben. Oh, then there were the three years stuck in the sixties with his ill-advised cult. God he owed Ben such an apology for that come to think of it. Sure Klaus was still mad about Ben using his body in ways Klaus did not approve of. Klaus had been a dick too so it wasn't like he was blameless.

Perhaps in trying to make an effort, Klaus had dressed up a little for dinner. Not a lot, mind you. He wasn't exactly rolling in dough from hauling corpses around. But he'd scared up some jeans, Converse sneakers, and a paisley button-down shirt that was done in purple, pink, blue, and green. Well, he liked it anyway. The jury was out on if his brothers and sisters would. 

"Looks all right to me," said Libby. "Do you mind if I tag along?"

"Not at all," he said. Klaus exited the dorm ignoring the Ryans and Johnson. They were pretending they didn't see him which was fine with Klaus. He got the chocolate cake out of the fridge and left. It was a sheet cake from the commissary and he hoped everyone liked it. 

As they boarded the elevator, Libby asked, "Any luck with the pirate?" 

"I've figured out how to get him to disappear. It's getting him to move on permanently that's the problem," Klaus replied. 

"Oh hon, I'm so sorry," she said.

"Me too. Like, what is his damage? Have you managed to have a conversation with him at all?" 

"No, no one has. It's strange. I know all of us are motivated by something. Despair, revenge, regret, and the like. But he's… Different. It's almost like he doesn't want to move on." 

"Then we'll need to kill him."

Libby chuckled. "How are you going to kill a ghost?"

"That's what I need to ask Vanya," he replied. "I know she's the reason that Ben's not around anymore, but I don't know what she did to him. I find out, I can get rid of Captain Blood." 

"Ah, an ulterior motive for seeing your siblings."

"I'm sure they have one too," Klaus said defensively.

"Oh, Klaus… Give them a chance. I know they were horrible to you, but they are your family and they love you." 

"So what? I love them too, doesn't change anything I've done in the past to fuck them over. And vice versa." 

Libby didn't have anything to say to that, but she did give Klaus a rather sour look. 

They reached the floor the rest of the Hargreeves children were living on, and Dave was standing by the elevator doors. Klaus's heart skipped a beat when he saw that Dave was dressed in business casual. A button-down shirt, cardigan, slacks, and loafers. His hair was only lightly styled and he looked pretty nervous. Klaus grinned and said, "You look terrific."

"Thanks, you too," Dave said. "Here, let me help." He offered to take the cake.

"It's okay I've got it," Klaus assured him. He took a deep breath and let it out, then asked, "Ready?" 

"And raring." 

Dave and Klaus walked down the hall, Libby behind them. When Dave knocked on the Hargreeves' door, it flew open and they were greeted by Five. He looked at them for a moment and said, "Come in. Dinner isn't here yet." He held the door open for them and Klaus walked in with Dave and Libby following. 

It was a really nice place. It didn't look like an apartment at all. More like a mansion. How the hell did they do that? Was this place a TARDIS? Was the Commission its own dimension? On some level, Klaus did know it was what with the whole "pocket in space-time" thing but still it was one thing to know it and another to see it. 

There had been a whole hallway of doors only six feet apart from each other. And yet the interior was huge. They were only in the foyer, which was a cheery combination of butter yellow and mint green. Klaus was going to guess that his siblings weren't responsible for the decorating scheme as it was to no one's aesthetic tastes.

"Wow, I think I got kind of screwed on the room selection," Klaus said.

"Me too," Dave said. "I've been here for three years and I only rank a two-bedroom. How'd you guys get one of the executive suites?" 

"Special circumstances," Five replied and didn't elaborate.

"Almost makes me wish I were a teacher's pet too," Klaus said. Five ignored him, Libby was giggling.

As they entered the house proper, it was to a drawing room that was aggressively yellow. In that everything from the wallpaper, furniture, and carpet were varying shades from canary to goldenrod. 

The furniture reminded Klaus of one of those nice old bed and breakfasts he'd seen on television commercials for erectile dysfunction medication. You know the ones where the old couple checks in and they're smiling knowingly at each other and it's all "awww how cute they're old and sweet" but it's really more "oh yeah you know they're into bondage you get down with your kinky selves".

"Wait here," Five said and left the room.

"I really hope we're not eating in here," Klaus muttered. 

"Gotta side with you on that one," Dave replied. "This place reminds me of my Nana's house." 

"If I had a grandmother I bet this is what her house would look like. Only maybe pink instead of yellow," said Klaus. 

Dave laughed. "If it was your grandmother I'd say a pastel rainbow rather than just one color."

"Fair." He looked at Libby. "What do you think?"

"I think whoever did this has no color sense," Libby replied. "Also there's a ghost in the piano."

"Wait, inside the piano? Not like, next to it but inside it?" Klaus put the cake down on the coffee table and went to see what Libby was talking about. It was one of those big ones you saw on TV that had the little door on top you could open to see the strings on the inside. Klaus saw the lid was propped open so he took a look.

And yep, there's the ghost. Or more specifically a ghost's head. He was staring up at Klaus and trying to say something, though it seemed he couldn't make a sound. He was an old man with white hair and mutton chops, with blood on his lips. Klaus vaguely wondered where the rest of him was when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He jumped, but it was only Dave. "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, just another fun day in the carnival that is my life," Klaus replied.

"What do you see?" 

Klaus described it, and added, "He's trying to say something but I can't make the words out." 

"Jeez Louise," Dave said. 

"What are you doing?"

Klaus and Dave both jumped to see that Five had re-entered the drawing room.

"Taking a look at your haunted piano," Klaus told him. 

Five frowned and strode across the room, looked inside, and said, "There's nothing there." 

"Hang on." Klaus took a deep breath and let it out, then held his hand above the piano. When he heard Dave and Five gasp, he knew they could see it too. "Five can you read lips?" 

"Yes," he replied. 

"What's he saying?" 

Five was still for a moment, then said, "Please God, help me. He's going to hurt me."

"Dude, you're dead," Klaus said.

The head was still, looking up at them. Then it vanished and Klaus suddenly felt very tired. Did the air just get thinner in this room? He didn't realize he was falling until Dave caught him by the arms. 

"Careful," Dave said.

"Why does that keep happening?" Klaus asked. He still felt tired and weak but not 'faint like a damsel in a 1940s film' anymore which was nice. 

"I don't know, hon," Libby said. "But maybe take it easy for now." 

Five was staring at Klaus in curiosity, and he asked, "What did you do?"

"Moved him on," Klaus replied. "I dunno why but it really takes it out of me."

His brother came closer and was staring at him so intensely Klaus thought maybe he did something wrong. Five then asked, "Have you been drinking?" 

"Commissary's closed," Klaus muttered.

"That wasn't the question," Five replied.

"Hey maybe--" Dave started but Klaus groaned.

"No, okay? I haven't been drinking! I haven't for like a week now," Klaus snapped. "Not that it's any of your business." 

Five had his hands in his pockets and was still staring at Klaus, studying him. Klaus high key hated it, it was so reminiscent of Reginald even though Five and Reggie were in no way blood relatives. Or at least he hoped they weren't, that would be too damn weird. Finally, he said, "Who else is here?"

"Libby came along," Klaus said, gesturing to where she was standing, though he was the only person who could see her. "The pirate ghost might be around too but I'm not sure about that yet." 

"You brought a ghost to a family dinner?" Five asked. 

"Yes, because she's my friend. And she's actually pretty great," Klaus said. 

"Thank you, Klaus," Libby said. 

"I suppose we can set an extra place," he muttered.

Klaus blinked, "Say what now?" 

"If she's such a good friend, I mean," Five said, looking uncertain. "We should set a place for her at the table." 

It took Klaus a minute, but then he understood. Five was trying to apologize. In like, the worst, most socially awkward way possible. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that while Five was an old man, he also lacked certain experiences. No social interaction in the post-apocalyptic hellscape meant that in many respects, he was still very much a kid.

"Thank you," said Klaus. 

A moment later and the doorbell rang. Five said, "I'll get it," and vanished from the room.

"That was awkward," Dave said. 

"Yeah," Klaus agreed. 

Then Vanya appeared and said, "Food's here. You hungry?"

"Sure is, lead the way," Klaus said. He scooped up the cake from the coffee table and followed her into another room. This one, much like the last, was done in one color but this time it was blue. Every possible shade of blue along with a huge dining table that probably cost a fortune. Five was handing bags to whichever sibling had empty hands, and when Dave appeared he thrust one at him, saying, "Take what you want and pass it down." 

"What'd you order?" Dave asked. 

"Chinese," Allison said. 

Everyone was settling into seats, and Klaus put the cake at the end of the ridiculously large table. They hadn't even had one this big at the Academy, who needed such a monster? It was a little hectic as everyone sat down and started dishing out food. Klaus smiled a bit when he saw that yes, there was a place for Libby set. He was also glad to see there wasn't anyone sitting at the head of the table, which Sir Reggie would have insisted on if he were with them.

Once everyone was settled and plates were full, Allison said, "Thank you for bringing the cake, you didn't have to do that." 

"Don't mention it," Klaus replied. 

He could see his brothers exchanging glances, while Allison awkwardly sipped her drink. Vanya was hunched in on herself like she didn't want anyone to look at her. Clearly, Klaus was missing something. Hiding something again, well wasn't that just peachy. 

They ate in awkward silence. Like they were afraid that if someone spoke Klaus would get up and leave. He kind of wanted to anyway, he didn't like this uncertainty from his siblings. It wasn't like them at all. Well, no, Vanya was totally like that but the rest of them definitely weren't. Finally, Klaus got fed up with the silence and asked, "Anyone up for killing a ghost after dinner?" 

Diego nearly choked on his rice, Luther spit out the water he was drinking, and Allison, Five, and Vanya looked at him like he was nuts. "Excuse me?" Luther asked. 

"Ghost, kill, after dinner?" He said slowly. At their confused stares, he sighed and said, "I'm trying to get rid of the pirate that sliced my face open at lunch."

"For a minute there I thought you meant Libby," Five said. 

"Oh no, she can go any time she wants," Klaus said. 

"I thought you were making them move on," Diego said. 

"It's like, super-duper exhausting. Plus I can't figure out how to make him leave so I figure we murk him and I get a good night's sleep for once," Klaus explained. 

Dave chuckled a bit and said to Klaus, "As third dates go that's a hell of an idea." 

"Hey third dates don't usually involve me bringing someone home to meet the family," Klaus said. "Though, you already know my family." 

And there was that awkward silence again. Klaus couldn't help himself. He was still angry. Luther cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry, we all are. We were worried that you might overreact and didn't take into account that we'd made things worse instead of better." 

"Yes exactly," Diego said. "We acted without thinking, something we're trying to do less of."

"And not succeeding, at least not yet," Five added. 

"We would still like for you to move in with us," chimed in Vanya. 

"But it's your decision," Allison finished. 

Klaus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not sure about that yet, I'm still pretty mad. Like, I get why you guys did it. I've met me, I'm a handful. The human train wreck, right?" 

"Human tornado," said Diego.

Klaus chuckled at the old nickname from when they were kids. "Yeah. And like…" He paused and looked at Libby. She gave him an encouraging smile, and he continued. "I'm sorry too. I know you guys have tried to help me before and I threw it back in your faces." 

And it was true. He'd scared the hell out of them on more than one occasion when they were kids, and while Klaus hadn't seen any of his brothers and sisters since Ben's funeral, he still remembered. 

Allison finding him when he'd fainted in the bathroom after huffing. Luther covering for him when he'd snuck out to meet someone and broke their curfew. Diego scaring off one of the more persistent dealers who'd come to the Academy saying Klaus had ripped him off (and he had). 

And Vanya, quiet, shy Vanya, had brought him water and aspirin on more than one occasion for hangovers he tried to pass off as the flu. Hell, even Five had helped out, before he disappeared anyway. He'd slip Klaus answers to tests Klaus didn't study for because he was too high on whatever he'd gotten his hands on that week. 

Then there was Ben. Jesus, everything Ben had done for him both before and after his death. Ben trying to be the voice of reason when all Klaus wanted was to shoot up and fuck his pain away. Which worked for a while, but then it would come back stronger. A vicious cycle that had started before Klaus finished puberty. He remembered it very well. 

So did his sisters and brothers, it was why they'd been so desperate. 

"So, sorry," Klaus said. "I'm trying though, really." He didn't elaborate, and he was grateful they didn't ask. 

"We should talk," Allison said. "Maybe we can get together more often?" There was hope in her tone but also fear. Fear that Klaus would say fuck it and leave. 

Dave was sitting next to him, and Klaus took his hand. He took a deep breath and squeezed, then let it out. 

"I'd like that," Klaus said.

The visible relief in Vanya, Luther, Diego, and Allison made Klaus's heart sing. The only drawback was Five. He was still studying Klaus in a way that made him feel like a butterfly under glass. 

The conversation turned to lighter things, with Dave and Diego discussing something to do with boxing, with comments from Luther about his time working for Jack Ruby as a prizefighter. Allison was asking Klaus about the catalogs as she wasn't overly fond of the wardrobe selections the Commission had in their department stores. 

Vanya and Five were talking quietly and occasionally looking at the empty place setting where Libby was sitting. They stopped talking however when anyone moved close to them. Okay, weird. 

He wondered if knowing a ghost was at the table was making them nervous. It would make Klaus nervous if he were them. Well, maybe. Klaus knew they couldn't see her, and he didn't have the energy to make her manifest. Still, he kind of wished he did, just so they could meet his friend. Regardless, they were acting weird again. He'd have to ask later. 

When they were done eating, Klaus clapped his hands together and said, "Okay, who's ready to bust this ghost?" 

That got a laugh from everyone, and as they got up to tackle this problem, Klaus thought maybe there was a chance they could be a family. A super messed up family, but a family. 


	11. but prove myself to you, and we'll keep it running

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So thankfully I was able to find an apartment, I'm moving in over the next week and a half. I've got a couple more chapters in the can so I'm hoping I can resume regular posting. I'll know for sure if I can next weekend. If so I'll be updating on Sundays. Thank you to everyone who's left comments, it's good to know people are still interested in this story. I've also completed my Whumptober challenge fic (late, but at least it's done now). Thank you again.

When Dave got the summons to the Director's office, he thought the timing couldn't have been better. After the awkward dinner, and less awkward attempt to rid Klaus of his ghost he felt like things were finally starting to stabilize in his personal life. They hadn't succeeded, but no one was giving up just yet. 

Dave hadn't been back in rotation for a while, and he was interested to see what was so hush hush about this latest mission. And why he had to get it directly from Herb and not from Dot.

He arrived early at the Director's office and was shown in right away. Herb got up from behind his desk and said, "Mr. Katz, nice to see you again." They shook hands and then both sat down. 

"Good afternoon sir," said Dave. 

"Call me Herb," he said with a smile. Well, that didn't bode well. 

"Okay… Herb," Dave said, trying it out. He wasn't on a first-name basis with anyone but the Numbers and Dot. It felt strange to call the Director Herb. 

"I'm sure you're curious about the mission," Herb said as he resumed his seat. "Though I'd like to ask, how are things going between you and the Numbers?"

"Better," Dave replied. 

"And you're seeing Number Four socially now, I hear?" 

Dave bristled at that. He didn't see why that was any of Herb's business. Still, he nodded. 

"That's good. That's very good," he said. Herb had a file in front of him and he closed it. "You'll need that connection for your next mission." He then slid a file across the desk. Dave picked it up and upon opening the file, he frowned. 

"You want me to spy on the Numbers?" He asked. 

"We have reason to believe that One, Two, Three, Five, and Seven are working against the Commission's interests, and therefore against the interests of the space-time continuum," the Director said. 

"What reason would that be?" Dave was still flipping through the file. There were pictures of the Numbers both at work and relaxing at home. There were also transcripts, they look like they might have been from a recording, but what recording he didn't know. 

"We know they've been having a lot of secret meetings, family only. They've also been nosing about areas that are outside their particular occupations. For example, Number One has been seen more and more in the timeline reference library. While Number Three has been having a lot of conversations with various staff. Conversations those staff can no longer remember." 

Dave sighed and closed the file. "You're putting me in a very awkward position. You know that I have something going with Number Four." 

"I'm aware," Herb replied, and he looked regretful. "It's why I'm not asking you to monitor him. As far as I can tell, he's not part of the plot anyway."

"He's not?" That surprised Dave. They'd been so desperate to get Klaus back into the family fold. If they were plotting against the Commission, surely they would need him for that. Wouldn't they? 

"No, whatever they're up to, he doesn't appear to be part of it." 

He rubbed his brow and sighed. "They're my friends, sir. I don't know if I can do this." 

"It's precisely that attitude why I want you to," Herb said. "I know you have a personal connection with them. They've let you into their lives just a little bit. I want you to use it to your advantage. We need to know what they're plotting. Given that they've caused two apocalypses so far, we'd like to avoid a third. Especially here."

"What? They can't cause one here. Can they?" 

It was Herb's turn to sigh. "While the Commission is indeed in a pocket dimension outside of space-time, that doesn't mean that we're impervious to such things. What's worse is, if there is an apocalypse that starts here, it will spread to all of reality as we know it. Everything will be destroyed, and I mean everything. The entire universe is at stake."

He got up again and walked around the desk, putting a hand on Dave's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know this is a heavy burden. But you're the only person who's gotten close to them. And I trust you to do the right thing. Can I trust you, Mr. Katz?" 

It was such an earnest question, and also a blatant manipulation. Appealing to his sense of decency to do a very indecent thing. Yes, he knew the Numbers were up to something. He'd known it all along but lost sight of it in the whirlwind that was dating Klaus Hargreeves. Dave had heard Klaus mention it too, that they were hiding something from him. 

"You realize it's going to look suspicious if I suddenly stop going on missions," Dave said. 

"I know, which is why we're going to create some mock missions for you. Get you out of circulation for a bit so hopefully, they won't catch on."

At that, he raised an eyebrow. "Hopefully?"

"Your primary target is Number Five, who as you know is one of the smartest agents we have. I can't say with any certainty that he won't figure out our plan. As a matter of fact, I'm almost certain he will. I just hope you can find out what they're up to before that happens," Herb said.

"What if I fail?" Dave asked.

"You won't be censured," he assured. "We're aware of how clever and dangerous the Hargreeveses are."

"They could kill me."

"Yes, that is a concern."

Dave ran a hand through his hair. "What about Number Four?" 

"Again, he's not--"

"I know he's not a target. But if I start spying on his family for the Commission he's going to be upset. He'll feel betrayed. Putting it mildly. Sir," Dave added, "I'm not worried about myself. I am worried about the strain it could put on him. I don't want to hurt him." 

Herb pulled up a chair so he and Dave were sitting next to each other without the desk separating them. "How has he been? Lately, I mean." 

"Still angry with his family. But they're working it out." 

He nodded. "Can you use it to obtain your mission objective?"

Dave stared at him for a minute, then said, "No, I couldn't."

"Is it because you have a moral objection, or that you don't think you can?"

"Both," he replied. "He has very deep feelings for me, I don't want to take advantage of that. It would destroy him. Which is why… If I take this mission, I want to tell him about it." 

"That would compromise it irreparably," said Herb. 

"I'm not saying right away. Just, at some point, I want to tell him what I'm doing and why. If I'm not the one to tell him he'll never understand, and he won't forgive me," Dave said to Herb.

He was certain that Herb would tell him no. That he'd order him to keep a lid on it. Instead, he said, "All right. But only if you have no other choice. I know that Number Four is one of the more unstable of the Hargreeves siblings, I'd rather not cause him any undue stress if we can avoid it."

Dave scoffed. If they didn't want to cause him any stress they wouldn't be making Dave spy on Klaus's family. 

"I mean it," Herb assured him. "We're lucky he's disinterested in his powers. Otherwise, he could be quite formidable." 

"What do you mean?" Dave asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Number Four's power is control over death itself. If he were even a little bit more like his brothers, that could cause a lot of problems for everyone here," said Herb. 

"So you're saying the reason he's not dangerous is that he doesn't care to be?"

"Essentially, yes." 

Yes, that did sound like Klaus. 

Dave was looking through the folder again. He then said, "Will you give me some time to think about it?" 

"Of course. Obviously, you do have the option to turn down the mission. We'd prefer that you didn't, but we can't force you. We would have to assign someone else."

The implication of 'someone less sympathetic to the Hargreeves family' was left unsaid. 

"Mind if I take this with me?" 

"Not at all. Call me tonight, let me know what you decide."

Dave nodded and left the Director's office. 

His head was full and he wasn't sure where to start. With the file, obviously. Maybe he could come up with something without actually having to spy on anyone. He didn't like it, it stank of betrayal. He also knew better than to turn it down. There was no way they'd leave him as a loose end. Assuming he did turn it down and someone else was assigned, they'd want to eliminate Dave, one way or another. They wouldn't want to risk him telling the Hargreeveses what he knew. 

When he returned home, there were three messages on his answering machine. One was from Dot asking him to call her. So, she likely knew what Herb had assigned. The second was from Diego, asking to call him back so they can train together at the gym. The last was from Klaus and Dave sat down as he listened. 

"Hey, Dave! I'm being forced to go collect another body. Which, so nasty, it's from the Middle Ages. You will not believe what I have to do. I promise all the gory details later. Or, y'know, not. I'm going to be late getting back tonight is what I mean," he said. Then there was a sigh. 

"So, I… Gotta admit I'm feeling a little frisky. I thought maybe if you weren't doing anything we could have a little fun. Anyway, I should be back around… Eight. Call me, okay?" There was noise in the background and Klaus said, "Yeah, I'm coming!" Then he said, "I gotta go. Toodles!" And the message ended.

Dave chuckled, then he opened the file. 

Fuck, this was going to be hard. He didn't know what was worse, trying to keep it from Five or trying to keep it from Klaus. He flipped to the transcript and started reading. If he could get an idea, just somewhere to start. He didn't want anyone to get hurt, especially not Klaus. Not when he'd started to shake off his depression from those lonely early months with the Commission. 

He was becoming more vibrant, more like the Klaus that Dave had met in 1963. There was still a trace of sorrow in him, and maybe a little madness. But Klaus was smiling more, he wasn't so pale. He looked like he was getting better, and Dave liked to think that he was the reason. He also knew that as much as Klaus complained, he loved his family and it was hurting him deeply to be separated from them.

That was the other issue. Dave liked the Hargreeveses. They'd been through so much, dealt with powers no person was really meant to have, and deep down they were good people. He didn't want to spy on them, he thought of them as friends. And he hoped they felt the same way about him. Well, maybe not Five, though Five didn't seem to like anyone. Despite his attitude, Dave did have a healthy respect for Five and what he could do.

Though what struck Dave as funny was he didn't worry about himself. Five would have no qualms about killing him, and he didn't think the others would either. Luther, Diego, and Allison were scarily practical, much like Five. Vanya might have an issue with murdering him, but only because she seemed to second guess herself a lot. If Dave could destroy the moon by playing an instrument too intensely he'd probably be afraid of his own shadow too.

And if he agreed to this mission, if they found out, there was a pretty good chance they would kill him. If their intention was to bring down the Commission, Dave would be collateral damage. It would hurt Klaus, but so would the fact that Dave had been spying. Besides, past actions showed that they weren't particularly worried about upsetting Klaus. They'd tell him it was for the greater good, or his own good, something like that. 

Dave made a decision. He'd accept the mission. But on his own terms. He'd have to be devious, which wasn't Dave's forte. He didn't like lying to people. In this case, however, it was the only way to make sure no one got hurt. If indeed the Hargreeveses were plotting against the Commission, in an apocalypse causing way, Dave would stop them himself. He'd appeal to their sense of decency. It sounded like a joke, but he knew they had one.

On the other hand, if it turned out this was a bunch of smoke and mirrors, or God willing, a mistake, he'd have no trouble getting the Commission off their back. He'd vouch for them, say he hadn't found anything, or that the plan was harmless. Sure, he'd be in trouble if the Commission found out otherwise, but he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. 

He meant what he said to Herb. He'd tell Klaus about it at some point. He'd have to, there was no way around it. Klaus would flip if he found out Dave was keeping secrets from him, as he hadn't handled his brothers and sisters concealing Dave's presence at the Commission well at all. Some people still looked at him funny as the source of Number Four's very public meltdown. It was a little embarrassing but then he thought about how Klaus must feel. 

So he went to the first page of transcripts, dating from just a week after the Numbers had arrived at the Commission. It was a conversation between Three and Five, and it did look curious.

Three: Are you sure about this?  
Five: Of course.  
Three: Didn't Gadget say we need a supervisor's approval?  
Five: Do you want to see her or not?  
Three: *sigh* Yes, I do.  
Five: Then sit tight, I'll be back in a few minutes. 

Dave made a note. 'See who?' He wrote in pencil and kept reading.

Two: Did you get it?  
Five: Yes, don't worry.   
Three: We can find them both, right?  
Five: It won't be easy, not with the multiple timelines. I should be able to use a few simple calculations to track their location.  
Two: Lila should be easy.  
Five: I'm more concerned about Claire. Given the ripples we've caused, she'll be more difficult to locate. 

'Who are Lila and Claire?' Dave wrote. He then made another note to check the surveillance footage from the briefcase room. He had a feeling Five had likely borrowed one without permission. While the Commission did have trackers on all briefcases, they weren't infallible. They could be tampered with or even removed by someone who knew what they were doing. And Five definitely knew what he was doing. 

The conversation apparently ended there. He frowned as he looked over it one more time. So they were sneaking off to look for people? More family maybe? He'd have to check their files. If he couldn't find them there, he supposed he could ask Klaus. Though how to get the information out of him without tipping his hand? 

Head full and heart heavy, Dave got up to put on a pot of coffee. He had a lot of work to do. 

* * *

Klaus groaned as he dragged himself out of bed. Yet another nap interrupted by angry ghosts and PTSD flashbacks. It had been a pretty good night, talking to Dave on the phone. He'd sounded a little funny, but the rumor around the Commission was Dave had been in to see the Director that morning for some big important talk. Klaus asked but Dave would only say it was about a mission. Maybe that's why Klaus had slept so badly.

He told himself it was fine. He was not in Vietnam. Dave was alive and working for the Commission. Klaus was alive, he wasn't a ghost, and the other Klaus wasn't riding around in his body without his permission. Fuck his nightmares _sucked._

He knew he had to work, and it was going to be a doozy of a day. One of the Correctors had killed a few more people than strictly necessary and there was paperwork and shit to do. Well, Klaus wasn't going to do it, Johnson was. Still, it meant they were busy and Klaus would be getting back late. 

When he saw himself in the mirror, Klaus paused. 

"What the fuck?" He said to his reflection. 

He had deep hollows under his eyes, his skin was bone-white, and it looked like someone had tried to claw him across the face. On top of that, the roots of his hair were the wrong color. Were they turning white? What in the hell was going on? 

He remembered the nightmare last night. It had been the worst one yet. It was of the barn in Dallas, where that kid had been using Vanya's powers to bring about a second ice age. And then that woman showed up with Diego's girlfriend, the one who wanted to kill them. But this time, she'd grabbed Klaus by the shoulders, digging her sharp nails into his skin.

"Hello, Number Four," she said with a bright smile. A business-like tone, as though they were colleagues. "I've been waiting for you." 

Then they weren't in the barn anymore, they were in Klaus's room. The other ghosts were gone and it was just Klaus and her. He'd been lying in bed with her glaring down at him, saying something about a backup plan. Klaus had never been so scared in his life as when her hand went through him and he could feel her nails scratching around his heart. 

That was when he'd woken up screaming. Libby was standing next to the bed asking him what was wrong. She was pretty scared too, which did nothing to help Klaus calm down. It had taken him ages to fall back asleep and by the time he did, it was nearly morning. Then the alarm had gone off and Klaus muttered, "Fuck my life." 

He was shivering as he thought about it. Still, work to do. He felt like shit but if he didn't work he probably wouldn't be allowed to see Dave. Where that particular logic was coming from Klaus didn't know. But Dave was a really big motivator in that department. However, when he entered the common room, Johnson said, "Jesus Hargreeves, what the hell's wrong with you?"

"Nothin', I'm great," he said. His voice was croaking like he was sick. 

"My ass, you look like death," Johnson said. Was that concern in his voice? Surely not.

Johnson was on his feet and looking at Klaus, and he said, "I'm giving you a sick day. I want you to go up to the employee clinic and see Dr. Nix."

"Worried I'm contagious?" Klaus said sourly. Man, it was hard to think. He was so fuzzy.

"Just get up to the damn clinic. I'll call and tell them that you're coming." 

"Why Johnson, I didn't know you cared," he said, batting his eyes at him. Johnson frowned but didn't respond, going to the phone in the corner. 

As Klaus headed upstairs, Libby said, "He certainly changed his tune fast. Wasn't he afraid of you just yesterday?" 

"Yeah. Weird, right? Did the Ghost of Christmas Future get to him?" Klaus wondered aloud. 

"I'm not sure, but I'd be careful if I were you," she replied. 

"No duh."

He managed to find the clinic okay, glad to see it was actually in the same part of the building as the hospital wing. When he arrived, a cheery-looking white guy in a nurse's uniform said, "Hi, are you Number Four Hargreeves?" 

"Yeah."

"Fill this out, please. The doctor will see you shortly," and he handed Klaus a clipboard.

It was a pretty standard medical form. Klaus had ages of practice filling these out from back when he used to scam doctor's offices and clinics out of pain pills. There was the temptation of course to lie his ass off and see if he could get some bennies. He felt like if he could just get a decent night's sleep all of his problems would be solved. 

Then he thought about Dave, and how he'd be understanding but disappointed if Klaus fell off the wagon. He also thought of his siblings, how they were trying to build bridges again so they could become a real family, without anyone being left out this time. He did kind of want to spite them, just because he was petty like that. Instead, he sighed and wrote something on the form before handing it back to the nurse.

He looked at it and asked, "You're in recovery?"

"Yeah, so I'd appreciate it if I could avoid the medications on that list. I'm just going to abuse the fuck out of them if you prescribe them to me." He felt like he was making a mistake. That he was being too honest and now they wouldn't help him. 

But the nurse smiled and said, "Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Hargreeves. It'll just be a few more minutes."

Klaus had barely sat down before a Hispanic woman in a white dress came out and said, "Mr. Hargreeves?" 

He stood and followed her back. They did all the usual fun stuff. Weight, height, vitals. She asked him a few questions that he tried his best to answer but it was so hard to concentrate. He felt like he was walking through quicksand. Libby was by his side and did her best to comfort him, and to keep him focused.

Then he was shown into an exam room, and when he was on the table he laid back, muttering, "I just need to rest for a minute."

"The doctor will be in shortly," the woman said and left. What was her name? Hell, what was the guy nurse's name? Did they say? 

He could feel fingers in his hair and he didn't bother opening his eyes. It had to be Libby. She was right there, like always. God he really needed to get her to move on. He loved having her around but she couldn't stay earthbound just to pretend to be his mother. That was weird even by Klaus's standards, and he had a pretty damn high tolerance for weird. 

Then he felt fingernails against his scalp, sharp ones, and he jolted. He opened his eyes, but there was no one in the room but a pudgy little white man in a lab coat, who was looking at Klaus with concern. "Are you all right Mr. Hargreeves?" He had salt and pepper hair, a thick mustache, and a little bald spot on the back of his head.

"Uh… Fine." Where the hell was Libby? She was just here wasn't she? 

"I'm Dr. Nix, Mr. Johnson called to tell me you'd be in," he said, sitting down. He had a metal clipboard and said, "According to what you've written here you're having trouble sleeping."

"Just a little," Klaus muttered, rubbing his face. He needed coffee. Or amphetamines, he wasn't sure which. 

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

"It's what I wrote on the form. Just some nightmares."

"And ghosts?"

Klaus paused and frowned. "How did you know about that?" 

"Mr. Hargreeves, we're aware of your… Abilities, it's in your company file," Dr. Nix said. 

He snorted. "Of course it is. Yes, it's nightmares and ghosts keeping me awake."

"If you'll forgive me for saying so, Mr. Hargreeves, but you look like death."

"You're the second person to say that to me today," he muttered. He ran his hands through his hair, a strand getting stuck in his fingers. Klaus saw the pure white roots and asked, "What's this about?"

"Your hair?" Dr. Nix took the strand from him and said, "Sometimes when we're under stress, the nutrients in our bodies can dry up. I'd say you need nutrients and several good nights of sleep."

"Good fucking luck. I mean I can't control my powers enough to keep ghosts from beating on me when I'm trying to take a nap."

"I believe I have a solution to that." He took a pill bottle out of his pocket and handed it to Klaus.

He pushed it back into the doctor's hand and said, "No thanks."

"I insist." Dr. Nix gave it back to him.

"What part of 'former addict' did you not understand?" He snapped. 

"I understand what that means perfectly well," he said. "Which is why we're going to sit down while I explain exactly what this medication does and why I think it will help you." 

Klaus nearly said no. He had been doing so well. Then he thought about the nightmare about the Handler and shivered. "Will I dream?" 

"No." 

"And the ghosts?"

"This should also neutralize your powers while you're asleep. You would be safe." 

"You just had that ready?" Klaus asked. That seemed pretty fucking suspicious. Of course, that could be the lack of sleep talking. 

"One of your brothers mentioned your powers when you were in hospital," said Dr. Nix. "Your physician at the time made a note of it in your chart and sent a request to Metaphysics to have something created for you in case you needed it." 

"Huh… Okay, so you guys are quick and thorough," said Klaus.

At that, Dr. Nix smiled. "We do our best. Shall we?"

"Yeah okay. It's non-habit forming, right?" 

He went over the side effects (minimal) and the dosage (only one per 24 hour period). 

"I can't stress that enough," Dr. Nix said. "We haven't been able to fully test these, and while we're certain they're safe we don't want to take any risks."

"If they work the way you say they do I'll only need one," Klaus replied, looking at the bottle. The little purple and black pills inside glinted in the light. 

"Get a good meal," said Dr. Nix. "Then go home and take one. Make sure you're in bed when you do."

"They work that fast?" 

"They're supposed to." Dr. Nix gave him a smile. "Take one to start with. Then come back tomorrow and let me know the results."

"I have to work," Klaus pointed out. "I mean Johnson gave me a break today but I doubt he's going to give me another tomorrow."

"I'll write you a note," said Dr. Nix. 

He sighed and looked at the pills, then slipped the bottle into his pocket. "Yeah, okay. Why not?" 

Dr. Nix did in fact write him a note, which he pocketed as well. Then Klaus left the clinic and went to scare up something to eat. It was a little early for lunch, so he decided to hit one of the restaurants in the recreation area. 

What a surprise to see Vanya right ahead of him.

"Hey!" Klaus called.

She turned and said, "Hey!" But then she paused as he got closer. "Are you okay? You--"

"Look like death, I know," Klaus said with a sigh. "The doc said I should get something to eat and go back to bed. I'm not contagious or anything so don't worry. How've you been?" 

"Okay. I was about to get a late breakfast. I was on the night shift with the Infinite Switchboard and had some paperwork to clear up," she said. Vanya was looking between Klaus and the restaurant. Klaus recognized it as the diner that he and Dave had gone to after seeing a movie together. She then asked, "Would you like to…" 

"Yeah, that'd be great."

They went in together and sat at the counter. There weren't many people around, which Klaus was grateful for. He was getting concerned though. Where the hell had Libby gone to? Klaus for a minute wondered if maybe his powers were on the fritz. But, nope, there was the ghost in the kitchen, still wandering about looking for something. Klaus briefly wondered why he had a cleaver stuck in the back of his head. 

"Must have been a dissatisfied customer," Klaus mumbled.

"What?"

He looked at Vanya. "Oh, sorry, just making an observation." 

She was staring at him, and she reached out and patted his arm. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Just tired," Klaus replied. "I'm kinda feeling like waffles. You?"

"I think I'm waffled out, I've had them every day this week," she said. 

"Pff. Philistine."

Vanya laughed. But then her face got serious again. "Klaus, talk to me. What's going on with you?" 

"Oh it's stupid," he muttered. 

"I want to know."

He sighed. "I can't sleep."

"Still? Is that why you were at the doctor today?" 

They were interrupted by a waitress offering coffee. Vanya accepted, but Klaus requested a hot chocolate instead. "I've been having these super realistic nightmares. Then there's the bullshit with Bloody Bones."

"I think I might have figured that out," she said.

"Oh?" Klaus hummed. "Pray tell." 

Vanya dumped some sugar in her coffee and said, "With Ben, it was my energy that was corroding his. Because he possessed me."

"Yeah I'd rather we didn't try to get the pirate to possess you, that would be bad."

"No, that's not the plan," she said. "Five's working on it and we've been talking. If you can make Bloody Bones visible and tangible, I should be able to create a vortex that would corrode his energy and get rid of him."

Klaus sighed. "That would be amazing. Seriously, he's making my life fucking hell." 

"It's not ready yet, I still haven't mastered what Five is talking about. But I'm working on it." 

He managed a smile, but he was still so tired. "So what else have you guys been up to?" 

"Nothing." Her tone was strange, wavering.

"Nothing at all?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. 

She wasn't looking at him. She was staring at her coffee cup. "Nothing except work." 

Vanya was looking all shifty again. What the hell was going on. "You sure? Nothing I need to know?"

"Don't worry about it," she muttered. 

So they were still hiding something from him. He frowned and said to the waitress, "Can I get some toast to go?" 

"Sure hon." 

Klaus stood up as Vanya said, "No, c'mon Klaus, don't leave." 

"I should really get going. I'm not feeling well, I think I'd rather just eat and go lie down," he replied. He then paid for his meager breakfast and added, "I'll see you around."

Vanya didn't reply, and he was glad she didn't. He didn't have any right to get huffy. It wasn't like he was being fully honest himself. How would Vanya feel, or the rest of them feel, about Klaus taking pills again? Even if they were prescribed by a doctor. They probably wouldn't be thrilled.

Hell, Klaus still wasn't a hundred percent sure about this. But the second wind he'd felt upon seeing Vanya was dying down, and he couldn't remember how he got back to his room. Once there, however, he saw that Libby was in his room. 

"There you are," he said. 

"You scared me half to death," she said.

"You're already dead." But he sat down and ate his toast. He'd gotten a glass of water, too. He needed something to wash them down.

"You pushed me away." Libby sounded hurt and he frowned. 

"I did what?"

"You used your powers to throw me out of the room," she said, stepping closer. "Don't you remember?"

Klaus shook his head. "No, but to be fair I haven't had a full night's sleep in how long?"

She sighed. "So what did the doctor say?"

"Take one of these and call him tomorrow." He held up the pill bottle.

Libby was frowning. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"He says it'll stop the nightmares _and_ the ghosts," he said. Klaus could feel he was tearing up. "Lib… I'm desperate. I'm so tired."

She sighed and nodded. "I understand. I'll keep watch over you."

"I appreciate it."

He slowly ate his toast, which was like trying to eat sandpaper. Once he'd finished, he got ready to go back to bed. He took one of the pills and swallowed it with the water. He was asleep before he knew it. 


	12. but this time, i mean it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At long last!
> 
> I'm settled into the new place, and things are going well. Kind of... Admittedly there have been some hiccups I'm not going to get into here. However, I am now able to start posting on a regular basis once again. New chapters of _Until the End of Everything_ will be posted every Sunday. 
> 
> Thank you for your patience, your comments, and your support. I hope everyone will enjoy. 
> 
> I've also started to look into the stories I want to write after, including a _Doctor Who_ crossover and a spy school AU. We'll see what happens. Thanks again!

Dave thought they could use a change of scenery. Every time they'd seen each other, it had been inside the Commission. He could tell that Klaus was going stir crazy, and if Dave wasn't allowed to leave the premises he would be too. So he cleared it with Dot (who was okay with the slight abuse of Commission resources on the grounds it would get Dave closer to his mission objective) and he came up with something that he thought Klaus might enjoy. 

When Dave went to pick him up, Klaus was dressed down for once. He was in a tie-dye shirt, green vest, jeans, and sneakers. He had applied fresh eyeliner and looked to be in good spirits, no pun intended. Though he was wearing a gray flat cap, which was a little unusual. He kissed Dave's cheek to say hello, and they went up in the elevator.

"So where are we going today? The parking lot? The maintenance closet on the third floor? Oh, I hear the diner is romantic this time of year," Klaus teased.

"I have something a little more special in mind," Dave said, squeezing Klaus's hand. 

Klaus pestered Dave the entire ride and the walk off the elevator. When they found themselves outside the briefcase room, Klaus frowned. "I thought you didn't have to work today."

"I don't," Dave replied. He said hello to Morris, who handed him a briefcase. He saw it was pre-set to the time and location requested. Dave smiled and held on to Klaus's hand, and opened the briefcase. 

After the quick flash and their eyes adjusted, Dave smiled at Klaus. And Klaus, in turn, was raising an eyebrow in surprise and delight. 

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah." 

Dave set the briefcase down and pressed a button on it, and it disappeared.

"Hey--" Klaus started but Dave interrupted.

"It's okay, I cleared this with them beforehand. We have to be back at this spot at five o'clock sharp. They'll send the briefcase back so we can get home," Dave told him. 

Klaus grinned. "You really thought this through."

"Did the best I could," Dave replied. "Come on, let's go in."

They reached the gates, and Dave paid for their tickets while Klaus was looking around. Perhaps a date at the zoo wasn't the most original idea, but then he remembered that Klaus had never been to the zoo as a child. Since they were currently in the '70s, they wouldn't be able to hold hands in public, but at least there wasn't the risk of the Sparrow Academy swooping down and attacking them. Besides, Klaus's clothes kind of fit in with what everyone was wearing. Dave was getting a few looks because of his rather dated button-down and khakis, but that was okay, he didn't mind.

When they entered, Klaus opened the map they were given at the front gate and asked, "Where do we go first?"

"Well, what's your favorite animal?" Dave asked.

Klaus shrugged. "Fruit bats, probably."

Dave laughed. "Of course. I don't know if they have fruit bats here, but let's see what they do have." 

"First I want some sugar," Klaus said mischievously.

Dave was about to object when Klaus walked right past him and to a cotton candy stand. Dave chuckled and followed after. He paid for cotton candy for Klaus and a soda for himself. They then walked down the path, leisurely taking in the various animals. And they talked more about what Klaus's life had been like, Dave's life (though it was uncanny how much Klaus already knew), and other experiences. 

When they reached the chimpanzees, Klaus was staring at them sadly. He'd finished his cotton candy and had crumpled the cone in his hand. "I never thought I'd say this, but I miss Pogo."

"The chimp, right? The one your father enhanced?" Dave asked.

Klaus nodded. "He was more of a dad to us than our dad was. Sometimes I hated him because he knew what Dad was doing was wrong and he'd let him do it anyway. Other times I pity him because he couldn't stop Dad even if he tried. Then I ended up hating him again because Dad loved Pogo more than us. But… I don't think he was ever really happy." 

"What do you mean?" 

Klaus gestured to the chimps, one of whom was enthusiastically swinging on a tire swing. "Look how happy they are. They're dumb as mud but they're out here on a beautiful, sunny Tuesday and having fun. When was the last time Pogo had fun like that? Never, that's when." He sighed and tucked his hair behind his ears. "Out of all of his experiments, including me and my sisters and brothers, Pogo was the most successful." 

He looked so sad. Dave took a quick glance around and, upon seeing no one was watching, he gave Klaus a hug. 

"I'm so sorry," he said.

"I really need to pick cheerier topics for our dates," Klaus replied with a chuckle.

"It's okay, really," Dave said. "You've been through a lot. And I get the impression you don't open up to just anyone." 

Klaus shrugged. "I don't. My M.O. is to tell a stupid joke, deflect, and move on."

"Not even Allison? Or Diego?" He asked.

"Dad treated it like a sign of weakness. And we learned early to hide our weaknesses or he'd exploit them. Or make the others exploit them." Klaus's face had darkened, and Dave wasn't sure what to say to that, so he guided Klaus away from the chimp enclosure. 

He had been hoping that Klaus would talk more about his siblings, give Dave some idea of what they were up to. After reviewing the files that Herb had given him, Dave had a hypothesis about their plan. He couldn't prove it, and he wouldn't dare mention it to his superiors without having evidence to back it up. However, he didn't want to use Klaus that way, at least not if he had another choice. But Klaus was getting lost in his own head again, so Dave had to redirect the conversation. "How have things been with them? Since dinner, I mean."

"They're hiding something from me again," Klaus said with a shrug.

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah. I went to breakfast with Vanya after seeing the doctor. She was dodgy as fuck and I couldn't figure out why. I mean, I know about you now," he gestured to Dave, gently touching his arm. "So what else could they be hiding?"

"What indeed," Dave said, though inwardly he was cursing. So whatever it was, Klaus wasn't in on it. He was both relieved and annoyed. When were they going to let Klaus back in? Of course, Dave could hazard a guess as to why that might be, and he said, "Maybe they're just hesitant since we're dating. They could be worried about upsetting you again."

"By keeping more secrets? Which was what I was mad about in the first place. That's…" Klaus trailed off. "Actually, that would make sense. I was really pissed at them." 

"Give them some time," Dave replied. "If you still think they're hiding something, we'll ask them together. How does that sound?" 

"Ugh, why are you so reasonable?" Klaus groaned, but then he smiled. "I'm going to breakfast with the girls tomorrow, maybe I can ask then." 

Dave nodded. "So what did the doctor say?" 

"Oh, that," Klaus muttered. "He… Promise you won't be mad?"

"That depends. What happened?" Now he was concerned. Why would Klaus think Dave would be angry about him seeing the doctor?

"Dr. Nix gave me some pills to help me sleep," Klaus said. 

Ah, yes that explained it. "Come sit with me," said Dave, and pulled Klaus over to a bench. "How long have you been taking the medication?" 

"A couple days," Klaus replied. 

"Any side effects?"

"I can't remember my dreams."

Dave raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Yeah," Klaus replied. He pulled his legs up on the bench so he was sitting cross-legged. "I told Dr. Nix I couldn't sleep because of the ghosts and the bad dreams so he gave me these pills that were supposed to help. I take one, I'm out like a light for eight hours, I wake up the next day totally good to go. I mean my hair's not back to normal but--"

"What do you mean your hair's not back to normal?" Dave asked. He knew he was being louder than was polite, but he was shocked. "Take your hat off." 

Klaus looked at him for a moment, then sighed and removed his hat. About a quarter-inch of his roots were silver. Dave had Klaus tilt his head forward and down so he could look, then said, "Jesus, Klaus. What the hell?" 

"He said the pigment's probably been affected because of all the stress. It's freaking me out too but I don't want to dye it until I know if it's permanent or not," Klaus replied. 

"You're gonna have a hell of a skunk stripe if it is," Dave said.

He sat up and said, "No, I won't, because you can still get Garnier at the drugstore at the Commission." Klaus was worrying his lip between his teeth, and then he said in a quiet voice, "Are you mad at me?"

Dave blinked. "Why on Earth would I be mad at you?"

"For taking drugs again."

Dave stared at him for a moment, then said, "Klaus, I'm not upset with you for taking medication prescribed by a doctor."

"But I--"

"I know you've abused it before in the past, but this is different. For Christ's sake, Klaus, your hair is white." He paused, watching Klaus put his hat back on. "Have you told the other Numbers?"

He shook his head. "No, they'd kill me."

"No, they wouldn't."

"Okay maybe not literally, but I don't want to hear the pep talk of 'you're so strong Klaus' or 'stop putting that shit in your body, Klaus', and my personal favorite of 'stop being a weakling and pull yourself together, Number Four'."

Dave frowned. "Who said the last one?"

"Dad. Then later, Luther."

"I swear I'm going to strangle your father someday."

"Good luck, I'm pretty sure the Sparrows would kill you before you could get close." 

Dave sighed and shook his head. "Honesty is a two-way street. You have to tell them you're on medication and why. They'll understand." 

"No, they won't. They'll get back on their high horse and say I'm just a weak junkie who can't handle the real world," Klaus muttered. 

"They will not, and if they do? I'll tell them off. But if you want them to open up to you, you need to be honest with them." 

Klaus was chewing on his lower lip again, hugging himself. He looked at Dave and asked, 'You really think so?" 

"Yes, I do."

He smiled. "Okay. I'll tell them when we go to breakfast this weekend."

"Good, that's a great start." 

The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. They saw all the animals, and Klaus was especially fond of the petting zoo. He had fun feeding the chickens and was delighted when one of the goats decided that Klaus was his best friend. As Dave watched Klaus act very much like the child he wasn't, he couldn't help the guilt that was eating at him.

Everything he said to Klaus about honesty, he believed. But he wasn't living by it, not by a long shot. He should tell Klaus the truth now before Dave got further into his mission and ended up in hot water. Because Klaus would have to know eventually, and Dave didn't want to lose him. 

In the same breath, it had been such a difficult day already. Dave nearly had a heart attack when he saw Klaus's hair. What in the hell happened to him that made it go white? And could the medication the doctor was giving Klaus stop it? He did seem healthier, at least he wasn't so washed out now, nor did he have deep circles under his eyes. 

At half-past four, they returned to the hill on which they'd appeared, watching the afternoon sun play along the trees. Klaus was holding Dave's hand and he said, "Thank you for this." 

"It was my pleasure," Dave replied. 

"Think it would freak out the locals if I kissed you?" 

"How about we hold off on that until we return to the Commission?"

"You're the boss." 

The briefcase appeared, and they took it back to headquarters. After Dave returned it, he asked Klaus, "Would you like to come to my place for coffee?"

"I'd love to," he replied, squeezing Dave's hand.

Once they were inside Dave's apartment, Klaus wasted no time. He cupped Dave's face with both hands and asked, "Can I kiss you?"

"Yes, of course." 

Klaus was smiling, and he placed a gentle kiss on Dave's lips. It was swiftly followed by another, and then another. Dave closed his eyes, a hand sliding into Klaus's hair, knocking off his hat. His lips were soft and warm, and the feel of them made Dave's heart beat faster. He opened his mouth, deepening the kiss and making Klaus sigh. 

It was slow, and sensuous, both of them hesitant to take it further. It was when Dave gently bit Klaus's lip that things got a little heated. Klaus groaned, and Dave pushed him against the wall, pinning him there. He kissed harder as Klaus writhed against him, and Dave was drawing ragged breath through his nose.

But he had to come up for air, and when he did it was with a gasp, eyes flying open. Klaus's lips were swollen, and his eyes were glazed over. They were both panting, and Klaus put a hand against Dave's chest, toying with the buttons on his shirt. 

"You kiss like the devil," Dave said.

Klaus smirked. "Then strap some horns and a tail on me."

Dave gave a shaky laugh and said, "Maybe another time. You still want that coffee?"

"Actually I'd like you to tie me to the bed and spank me but coffee is also good."

Still chuckling, Dave pulled away from Klaus and headed into the kitchen. He could hear Klaus following after him. "I'm sorry about that, it's been a while."

"Why be sorry? I'm more than willing to let you jump my bones. Or I can jump yours if you prefer."

"I don't doubt it," Dave said. He got the percolator going, and turned back to Klaus. "It isn't that I don't want to. There's just… A lot between us. I want to take it slow." 

Klaus was wrapping a lock of his hair around a finger, and he asked, "Am I creeping you out?" 

"No, not at all," Dave assured him. He stepped closer and took both of Klaus's hands in his. "I think we could have something really special here. I don't want to mess it up by rushing into things." 

"Yeah, I--" Klaus stopped talking and looked to his right, then said, "You again?! When are you going to get it through your thick head? You're dead!"

"What's the matter?" Dave asked.

"The fucking pirate! He won't move on and he won't--" Klaus stilled. He was glaring at something Dave couldn't see, and he said, "You know what? Fuck it. I'm sick of being nice about this." He held a hand out in front of him, already glowing blue.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the kitchen. Dave had never seen anything like it. He was a pirate all right, and he was giving Klaus a death glare. He rushed forward, but before Dave could react, Klaus had both hands up. The blue glow had spread from his hands to the rest of his body, his hair floating as though there was a breeze in the room. 

" _ **Leave!**_ " Klaus said, but there was a strange quality to it. A tone that Dave didn't recognize, and sounded otherworldly. Almost like there was a second voice that was speaking. 

The ghost was screaming, and before Dave's eyes, it disappeared in flaming pieces. It reminded Dave of when you set fire to a piece of paper with a cigarette. Then the ghost was gone, and the glow faded. Klaus smiled and said to Dave, "Shit, I didn't know I could do that!" Then his knees went out from under him and Dave barely caught him in time. 

Klaus was out like a light. Dave shook him and even tried patting his face and calling his name, but it was no use. He sighed, and picked Klaus up, and carried him to the bed. He removed Klaus's shoes and vest, then tucked him in and kissed his forehead. He made sure to leave the bedroom door open before going to get himself a cup of coffee.

He didn't know what the hell he'd just witnessed, but Dave was pretty sure the pirate ghost wasn't going to be a problem anymore. 

* * *

Waking up in a strange bed was not a new experience for Klaus. Not remembering how he got there was also not new. It was the first time in several years, and since Ben wasn't standing over him giving him shit about his sexcapades, he couldn't say how or why he'd ended up there. The clock on the bedside table read 11:45 pm, and he frowned. So late already? Maybe he should roll over and go back to sleep. He didn't have his pills with him but that didn't matter

He groaned and rubbed at his eyes, wondering what the fuck he drank last night. Then it came rushing back. The day at the zoo, kissing Dave, Bloody Bones. Oh shit, he'd killed him! He'd done it, he'd killed a ghost! Okay not really killed. Klaus had realized shortly after the dead pencil pusher he could make ghosts move on. He'd just never forced one to do so before. It was kind of weird but also super badass if he did say so himself. And he did. 

Then he remembered he'd done this in front of Dave and cursed himself. Shit, Dave must have freaked the fuck out! And things had been going so well. God, Klaus was an idiot! Dave had probably run screaming into the night after Klaus manifested and murdered a ghost in his fucking kitchen!

He sat up and raised an eyebrow when he saw his vest and shoes on a chair by the door. The vest was neatly folded. The door was cracked open, and Klaus could see there was a light on in the hallway. He pushed the covers off and got out of bed, feeling very much like a vampire had been sucking on him like a five-year-old attacking a Capri Sun. 

Klaus walked out of the bedroom and down the hall, and found Dave on the couch, watching television. He was wearing a rather handsome set of pajamas, and Klaus could admit he loved the look of them. When he looked up and saw Klaus, he got up and turned the TV off, then pulled Klaus into a hug.

"You scared the hell out of me," Dave said.

"I'm sorry," Klaus replied.

"You're okay though, right?" Dave had pulled away, but had Klaus by the shoulders and was looking him over, as though searching for injuries. 

"Yeah, I'm fine. For some reason banishing ghosts just takes a lot out of me," Klaus said.

Dave sighed with relief and said, "Next time, warn a fella when you're going to pull a stunt like that."

"But then you wouldn't have been surprised," Klaus teased.

Dave wasn't staring at him with fear, hatred, or the worst one of all, disappointment. Instead, he was looking at Klaus with awe, and not in the creepy way his cult had. 

"You okay with staying here tonight?" Dave asked. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to move too much."

"I feel like shit so I'm not going to turn you down. Besides your bed's way more comfortable than the pile of rocks and hay I'm sleeping on down in Sanitation," Klaus said. He raised an eyebrow and added, "Maybe you could join me?"

Dave frowned. "I don't know, I told you that I want to take it slow." 

"Hey, no funny stuff, scout's honor," Klaus said, doing what he thought was a Boy Scout salute. By the bemused look on Dave's face, he guessed he was probably way off the mark. "No, seriously, I won't like, molest you or anything."

He could see that Dave was caving, and then he said, "All right. Let's go to bed." 

Klaus was true to his word, and so was Dave. They slept together, Dave's arms curling around him most affectionately. It was so nice to be held, and Klaus had the best night's sleep he'd had in ages. Well, unmedicated anyway. No ghosts bothering him, no nightmares, just him and Dave holding each other. 

The next morning, Klaus woke up early. Very early, especially for him. He yawned a bit and saw that Dave was still dead to the world. He smiled and pushed Dave's hair back from his face, treasuring the moment. Yep, still slept like a little kid. He'd be out for another hour or two. Which would give Klaus enough time to prepare his surprise.

He slipped out of bed and crept out of the bedroom. He was relieved to see Libby was in the kitchen, and she said, "Klaus! I can't believe you did it!" 

"I know right? Who knew I had it in me?" Klaus replied.

Libby was beaming at him. "I'm so happy for you. How's Dave?"

"Still asleep. Look, uh… Can you help me with something?"

"Anything."

"How good are you at making breakfast?"

Libby raised an eyebrow. "You trying to get me to cook breakfast for your boyfriend?"

Klaus shook his head. "No, I'm going to do the cooking, I just need you to tell me what to do."

"Now that I can help with," she replied, a warm smile on her face. 

Klaus checked the fridge and was glad to see that everything he'd need was in there. He knew that Dave loved a classic breakfast with turkey bacon, eggs, toast, and hashbrowns. While Klaus wasn't a disaster in the kitchen, he wasn't exactly Gordon Ramsay either. Thankfully, Libby knew precisely what to do, and she was patient as she talked him through it. 

By the time the coffee was going, Klaus could hear Dave stirring in the bedroom. When he came out, he said, "Good morning."

"Morning. Breakfast is almost ready," said Klaus.

"You cooked?"

Klaus smiled, and Dave put an arm around him and kissed his cheek. "I'll set the table," he said.

"No need, Libby's doing it."

She was indeed. Libby was getting plates and glasses down for them and placing them on the little table in the kitchen. Dave was watching the process and Klaus laughed at the look on his face.

"I'm going to have to get used to that I suspect."

"Yep." 

When she finished setting the table, Libby winked at Klaus and vanished. Ah, private time with his man, could this morning get any better? He was absolutely going to abide by Dave's "take things slow" declaration but still, he could totally oogle him over breakfast. Klaus turned off the stove and moved the bacon to a plate with a paper towel on it. "Coffee's ready. Any idea what you're doing today?" 

"I have a meeting with Dot in about an hour but after that I'm free," said Dave. "What about you?"

"Afternoon shift today," Klaus said with a groan. "And it's probably going to be a long one."

They ate breakfast, and Dave sighed. "This is really good. I can't believe you made this."

"Libby helped a lot. I did the cooking, she did the nagging to make sure I didn't burn it beyond recognition."

Dave laughed then sighed when he looked at the clock. "Tell you what, I'll clear this up, then maybe you could walk me to my meeting?" 

Klaus grinned. "I'd like that." 

"No funny stuff."

"No funny stuff, promise."

They got the dishes put away, and after Dave showered and changed they left the apartment, hand in hand. Klaus knew he was grinning like an idiot, he couldn't stop himself. When they arrived at the main floor, Dave kissed his cheek and asked, "Call me tonight?"

"Yeah, soon as I get back," said Klaus. 

Dave smiled and walked down the hall. Klaus was about to head back to his own room when suddenly Five was in front of him.

"Jesus!" He exclaimed, then sighed. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?" 

"I need to talk to you," Five said. 

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Sure you do. It's going to have to wait, my schedule's very full today." Klaus turned to walk away, but Five grabbed his wrist.

"It's important," he insisted. 

He sighed. "Fine. What do you want?" 

"We can't talk here," said Five. "Come with me."

Five led Klaus down several hallways, one back staircase, and what was supposed to be an elevator but looked more like an oversized dumbwaiter. They were somewhere deep within the bowels of the Commission, on floors even lower than Klaus's dorm when Five finally stopped and said, "We need your help." 

He stared at Five for a minute, unsure that he heard him right. Then Klaus laughed and asked, "You need my help? Since when?" 

"Since today," Five replied.

"Oh please," said Klaus, rolling his eyes. "What do you need my help with, picking out an outfit? Scoring dope?"

"I need you to talk to some of the former employees of the Commission, the ones who have died." 

For a moment, Klaus really thought that Five was playing a prank on him. But then he remembered that Five didn't have a sense of humor (at least not anymore) so he had to be serious. Klaus frowned at him. "You want me to conjure the ghosts of dead employees? Why in the hell would I do that? I already have enough ghosts following me around, thanks. I don't need more."

"Can you bring back Hazel and Cha-Cha?" Five asked arms crossed over his little torso.

"Okay, now I know you're messing with me. Why in the fuck would I want to summon the ghosts of the people who kidnapped and tortured me?" 

Klaus shuddered just to think of it. Hazel beating him, Cha-Cha choking him (which yes he was into that but still, consent issues man), the certainty that no one was coming for him… And they hadn't. The only person who had tried to rescue him was that nice lady cop who ended up getting killed because of Klaus. He still would have flashes of guilt when he thought of her. Maybe if he hadn't run away. But then again, if he hadn't, they would have killed him, too.

"It's important," Five insisted.

"You know, I think this is the first time ever this question has been asked by me. Are you high?" 

He was glaring up at Klaus now. "I'm not doing this for fun, Klaus. I need to talk to them. They were some of the highest-ranking assassins the Commission had under the old regime, they might know what I'm looking for."

"And just what are you looking for?" Klaus asked. 

At that, Five growled, "You don't need to worry about it."

He snorted. "Oh, so I'm good enough to summon ghosts but you can't trust me with whatever super secret plan you guys are working on." 

"That's not--"

"Cut the shit, Five," Klaus interrupted. "I know you guys are hiding something, and it's definitely not Dave this time. I know you all think I'm stupid and totally beneath you, and why wouldn't I be, right? I'm just a junkie freak, not even worth saving, am I?" He let out a sad, bitter laugh as he said it.

Five's eyes widened, almost imperceptible but it was there and then gone in a flash. He looked surprised, and maybe a little hurt. "Klaus…" He trailed off, as though he didn't know what to say. And wasn't that a first? Five was never speechless, it was something he and Klaus had in common. 

"You want something from me, you're going to have to tell me what the hell is going on," Klaus concluded. "Besides, I'm back on drugs again so I'm probably no use to you anyway."

"What? What drugs?" Five blinked and was suddenly much closer, grabbing the back of Klaus's neck and looking him in the face. "Your pupils aren't dilated but… Is your hair turning white?"

"Doc says it's from stress," Klaus mumbled, and pushed Five away. 

"What are you taking?" 

He played with the edge of his shirt and said, "Something to help me sleep. I don't know what it's called, the Commission made it for me so the ghosts would stop waking me up." 

"Interesting," Five said. He took out a notebook and a pencil and started writing, saying, "I'll have to factor this into the equation. Can you still see ghosts?"

"Not that it's your business but yes."

"And you can still control them?"

"I never could," he groaned.

Five nodded. "If you're done with your pity party, you can help us out by summoning Hazel and Cha-Cha. I'd prefer the Handler, to be honest, but she wouldn't be likely to cooperate."

"You don't get it, do you?" Said Klaus.

"Get what?" Five asked, looking up from his notes.

He stared down at his brother, unsure how to put it into words. Finally, he said, "Did you ever think maybe the reason the apocalypse keeps following us is because of you?" 

"Excuse me?" Five exclaimed, suddenly angry.

"You said Vanya's the bomb, but I'm starting to think you're the fuse." And where was this even coming from? Klaus had never thought about it before, but as he said it, it was making sense to him. "You traveled forward to the apocalypse, weren't you Vanya's only friend? That kind of isolation really messed with her. Then the more you meddled to stop it, the worse things got. The theater, and Dallas. Maybe if you'd left well enough alone and never time traveled in the first place it wouldn't have happened. Maybe that's why the Sparrow Academy is so much better than the Umbrella Academy. Their Five knows his place."

Five had been backing away from Klaus as he talked. "Everything I've done has been for my family," Five said.

"Everything you've done has been to your family, not for it," Klaus replied. But then he paused. Seriously, what the fuck? Sure he was angry at Five but he'd never blame him for all of this. He rubbed his face and shook his head, saying, "I'm sorry, ignore me, I don't know what I'm saying. I think I'm just tired. I got rid of the pirate ghost yesterday and I've been feeling pretty off since then." He sat down on the ground, closing his eyes.

He heard Five move closer, then sit next to him, "I'm sorry I didn't save you when you were kidnapped." 

"Don't worry about it, you weren't the only one. No one noticed I was gone. I bet you guys were pretty relieved, I was such an asshole. Still am." 

He opened his eyes when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Five was looking up at him with concern. "Klaus, really, what's troubling you?" 

"So many things, it's kind of a long list."

"What's at the top? Right now, off the top of your head?"

Klaus sighed, then asked, "What are you guys hiding from me?" 

Five glanced away for a moment, but then turned his gaze back to Klaus. "I'll tell you, but you can't tell Gadget." 


	13. i'll let you know just how much you mean to me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So I've got some good news and better news. The good news? I officially finished the first draft of this monster of a story! The ending wasn't quite what I expected but I'm pleased with it. I should mention any "sexy scenes" are gonna be fade to black. If that's not for you, I'm sorry, but I just couldn't make it work. 
> 
> Anyway, so there won't be any further interruptions on posting this story. 
> 
> The better news? I've signed up for EnKlave Fest, which is a prompt fulfillment fest. Due dates is February 19th and the posting dates start on February 21st. If you're interested, you can do so [here](http://enklavefest.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Oh and also I'm working on my next fic ideas so that's fun for everyone. Hope everyone has a good week and stay safe.

Dave heard more than saw Five's arrival. He made sure to stay well around the corner while he listened to Five and Klaus talk. When they dashed away, Dave had a hell of a time following them. Five was squirrely, and Klaus wasn't a slowpoke either. Dave only just caught up with them when he heard Five say, "I'll tell you, but you can't tell Gadget."

He stopped some distance away, hiding behind a boiler. It was a little hard to hear, but thankfully, Dave had a gadget for that. Because of course he did. He had a gadget for everything. He took the silver earpiece out of his pocket and slipped it into his right ear, then tapped it twice to turn it on. 

"Why can't I tell Dave?" Klaus asked. 

"He's too involved with the Commission. If he gets wind of what we're doing, he could report it to his superiors," Five said.

Dave's heart stopped beating for a moment. This was it, this was what Dot and Herb had asked him to look into. The secret the Numbers were keeping. And Five was finally going to tell Klaus. Dave was both happy for Klaus that he was being included and ashamed of eavesdropping like this. 

He sighed. "Fine, I will do my best not to tell Dave."

Five frowned at him, but then said, "That will have to do. How much do you know?"

"I know you guys are doing something with time travel," Klaus said.

That was news to Dave. 

"Oh?"

"Luther doesn't just read books on paradoxes for fun. He's not that kind of a nerd," said Klaus. "If he's reading about paradoxes and Vanya's practicing using her powers, I'd say those are connected. It can't just be for suppression, if she wants that she can get back on those pills. She's learning to control her powers. Then she mentioned you two were talking about how to kill the ghosts." 

"I'm interested to see how much of this you've put together on your own," Five said.

Dave was too since it sounded like Klaus was on a roll. 

"If you guys are worried about paradoxes, that means you're going somewhere that you might run into yourselves. I heard about what happened when you met yourself in Dallas. Kinda wish I'd been there to see it, that would have been hilarious." He was smiling as he said it.

Five rolled his eyes.

"But you have trouble controlling your Quantum Leap shit. I'm guessing you haven't figured it out yet. Also, your powers don't exactly have an unlimited lifespan. You talked with Vanya about combining my powers and hers to kill the pirate ghost. I'm guessing it came up in a very similar conversation about you and her."

Now Five was frowning. "Go on."

Klaus was quiet for a long time, then he said, "I give up."

"What?" Five squawked. "But you were so close!"

"I got time travel and combining powers, I don't think that's close at all."

Five sighed. "Fine, since you're a quitter. After doing several calculations, I determined that Vanya's powers don't just convert sound into kinetic energy. That's the easiest venue for them, but it isn't the only one. I knew this was correct when her power killed Ben. Ghosts are made up of a completely different type of energy, something that shouldn't be affected by kinetic energy because ghosts exist on a different plane from humans."

Klaus scoffed. "No, they don't."

"Yes, they do. Your ability is less supernatural and more being able to see another dimension," Five said. 

"Then how do ghosts go to Heaven?"

"Heaven, Hell, purgatory, all of it are simply different dimensions that overlap ours but go at different vibrational speeds. My guess is, you're able to help them change their vibrational speed so they can move to those dimensions."

Dave thought that he was going to get a headache. He also really hoped his earpiece was recording all of this because while Dave was no dummy he was having trouble keeping up with Five. 

Klaus also seemed to be having difficulty with this and was staring at Five like he was speaking a different language. "So… God's an alien?"

"What?"

"Don't worry about it. So where does Vanya come in?"

"If Vanya can erode the ectoplasmic makeup of a ghost, she could also do the opposite. Give power instead of taking it. It would be sort of like what she did to us in the theater in reverse. With that extra boost, not only would my time travel powers be more accurate, I would be able to select a precise location and date in any timeline. Time travel is a crapshoot, and I don't want to be stuck in this prepubescent prison forever. "

"So you're going to use her energy and your time travel abilities to… What?" 

"To jump to April 2nd, 2019. More specifically the version of it that doesn't have the Sparrow Academy. Diego, Luther, and Vanya have located a timeline where this happens. Dad will still be dead, there's no fixing that. But the world won't be destroyed and we can go on with our lives."

Klaus snorted. "You're totally overthinking this." 

"I am not!" Five said.

"Yeah, you are! Just steal a fucking briefcase, it's what we did last time!"

"I can't get into the briefcase room. They've somehow managed to shield it from my spatial jumps. And if I do use one they'll be able to trace it and come after us." 

"I hate to break it to you, but they're probably going to do that anyway since we all signed a contract," Klaus pointed out.

Which was true. Dave knew that if Five broke his contract again, Dot and Herb wouldn't be willing to overlook it. That they did so and hired Five a third time spoke to how highly they think of his skills. But it was definitely three strikes you're out. Dave didn't imagine that they would think kindly about this. 

"We don't have a choice," said Five. "We're running out of time."

"You just said Vanya's powers would let you go wherever you want whenever you want," said Klaus. 

"Not if the timelines are sealed off." Five gave a frustrated sound and got up, pacing the hallway.

"What are you talking about?" 

"It's the big project that Gadget mentioned in R&D and Metaphysics, that's what they're working on. Having multiple timelines is a strain on the Commission's resources, and they can't keep this up forever. They're going to seal off each timeline so it's completely inaccessible from the outside. If they do that, even Vanya's powers won't be enough to punch through." 

"And you know this how?"

"I broke into the lab." 

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Of course you did. So why do you want me to summon Hazel and Cha-Cha?" 

"The one component I'm missing for making a successful jump is a specific equation. If we were to try to jump right now in the center of the Commission, we'd kill ourselves and everyone in the building," Five said. "Remember, this place exists outside of normal space-time and every part of it is controlled by the Commission. Unleashing our combined powers here would be a disaster."

"I don't see how." 

"Think of time travel like a needle, and this place like a bubble. If we make the jump without the equation, the needle pops the bubble and everyone dies."

"Then maybe we shouldn't? Ever thought of that?" Klaus asked. 

Five was growing frustrated, even Dave could tell and he wasn't exactly close to them. 

"I just need the right equation so that the bubble doesn't burst when we try to leave. It's the same equation used in making the briefcases, but I can't find copies of it anywhere. However, Hazel or Cha-Cha would know. They've worked with the Commission since the beginning."

Klaus looked skeptical. "Why would they know and you don't? You're a math geek."

"The old process was that temporal assassins would have to manually enter the equation before jumping. However after the Handler took over their department she made it so the briefcases were already equipped with the equation, no muss no fuss. So none of the newbies like myself ever received it." Five then sat down on the ground across from Klaus. "I've tried replicating it but I haven't had any success. Can you get it from Hazel or Cha-Cha?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure. I'm not great at math, Five."

"Then summon them when I'm with you," Five insisted. "Hazel is more likely to give us the information, but if he doesn't know it either we'll have to ask Cha-Cha. And you can't say a word about this to Dave."

"I don't know that I can do that," Klaus replied. 

"What do you mean?" 

"First, I don't want to summon the people who fucking tortured my ass for two days. Even if they are dead, I never want to see them again. Secondly, I can't summon a ghost from here. I'd have to summon them on a job and bring them back and I don't want to have more ghosts around. Lastly… I love Dave. I don't want to keep this from him," he said softly. He had tucked his hair behind his ears, and he looked so sad all of a sudden. 

"You don't know him," Five pointed out.

He shook his head. "Yes, I do. He's different, sure, but he's still Dave."

Five snorted and stood up again. "This is why I didn't want to tell you. You're too sentimental. He doesn't love you, Klaus."

"Yes, he does." Klaus shot to his feet. "Maybe he's not in love with me, and that's okay. We haven't been dating that long. But I know he loves me! He cares about me, a hell of a lot more than you do." 

Dave had to cover his mouth with his hand to keep from saying anything.

"That's not true! You're my brother and I do love you!" Five insisted. 

Dave had heard enough. He took the earpiece out and left. The rest of this conversation didn't have anything to do with his mission objective. Once he was back to the higher levels, instead of going to the meeting, he went home. He telephoned Dot to apologize and said he was doing some last-minute recon.

"Did you find anything?" Dot asked.

Dave still had the earpiece in his hand. "I'm not sure yet."

"Okay, call me and let me know." And then she hung up.

He collapsed onto the couch, still holding the earpiece. He touched a tiny red button on the side, and the conversation between Five and Klaus started playing. Dave listened to it several times over, and he still didn't know what to do. It wouldn't just cost him his job, it could cost him his life. Worse, it could cost Klaus his life. When things were starting to finally look up for him. 

Frustrated, Dave turned it off. He had to think, get out for a while. So he changed into his gym clothes, hid the earpiece, and went to the gym. He'd run a few laps and then go a couple rounds at the gym. He'd clear his head and maybe his conscience. 

Once he reached the indoor track, Dave started stretching. To his surprise, a few minutes later, Diego came out and joined him. 

"Aren't you on shift?" Dave asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be in a meeting?" Diego replied.

Dave frowned. "How did you know that?"

"Heard it around," Diego replied. 

Which would have been impossible, since the only two people who were supposed to know about the meeting besides Dave were Klaus and Dot. And since Klaus was likely still with Five, Dave only had one conclusion.

"You following me, Diego?" Dave asked. 

"Do you need to be followed?" 

He sighed. "Are you going to answer every question with a question?"

Diego looked very much like he was about to do that, but Dave ignored him. He'd finished stretching and he started his run at a fair clip. Diego caught up with him easily.

"How are you and Klaus doing?"

"Why's that any of your business?" If Diego was going to be an asshole, Dave was going to be one right back. 

"Why are you avoiding the question?" Diego persisted.

This, Dave thought, is why he was really glad he was an only child. "Quid pro quo."

"I didn't know you'd seen _Silence of the Lambs_ ," said Diego.

"What's _Silence of the Lambs_?" 

He groaned. "One of the most popular movies of all time and a best selling novel."

"Well, I ain't seen it. Quid pro quo's Latin, it means 'a favor for a favor'," said Dave. 

"I tell you something, you tell me something?"

"About sums it up."

Diego mulled this over, then said, "Fine."

"Are you following me?" 

"I'm keeping an eye on you."

"That's not an answer." 

"Fine, only some of the time," Diego said. 

"Why?"

He shook his head. "My turn. You and Klaus, how are you?" 

Dave wasn't sure how to answer. But then, he blurted out, "I think I love him." As he said it, he knew it was true. When he'd woken up this morning to see Klaus disheveled and sleepy, cooking breakfast, and smiling like Dave hung the moon… Dave felt like his heart was doing the backstroke in his stomach. 

Then when Klaus had been defending him to Five, that feeling swelled, and Dave had nearly shouted that Klaus was right, he did love him. It's why he'd had to put his hand over his mouth, otherwise, he would have fucked the whole thing up. 

Diego stumbled a bit, but then caught up. "Say that again?"

"Klaus, I think I love him," Dave said. "Which is kind of worrying me. Dot says fraternization isn't against company rules but if they think I'm not doing my job right because of it they'll cut me loose." 

"Wouldn't that mean death?"

"In my case, yeah," he said. "My turn. Why are you following me?"

Diego jogged ahead and put himself in Dave's path so he'd have to stop, which he did. "Because you're spying on us."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not."

"Oh, and so that wasn't you tailing Five and Klaus?" 

Yep, he was busted. He didn't let it show on his face. "When my boyfriend's brother suddenly turns up after months of ignoring his existence, I'm going to worry."

"Is that all?" Diego was glaring daggers at him. Given his powers, that was almost terrifying.

"That's all," Dave replied. "I just wanted to make sure everything was okay. When I found them they were talking, not fighting, so I left."

Diego didn't look like he believed Dave. But Dave stood his ground and kept eye contact. Finally, he said, "You should know where you stand."

"And where's that?" Dave asked.

Diego suddenly had a knife in his hand, and he pointed it at Dave. "If you get in the way, I'll move you out of the way." 

"Don't know what you mean," he lied. "But if you hurt Klaus, I'll lay you out."

"Stay away from Klaus," Diego said and walked away.

As he retreated, Dave yelled at Diego, "That's not your decision!"

"He's family, you're not," he called back. 

When he was gone, Dave sighed. "Now I'm really in the soup," he said to himself. 

* * *

"Yes, he does. Maybe he's not in love with me, and that's okay. We haven't been dating that long. But I know he loves me! He cares about me, a hell of a lot more than you do." Klaus hasn't been this angry in… At least a week? He was on his feet before he'd even realized he stood up. 

"That's not true! You're my brother and I do love you!" Five's nostrils were flaring and he'd clenched his jaw. Klaus was pretty sure there was a vein that was going to pop off his forehead. 

"Then prove it! You love me so much? Leave me alone!" Klaus didn't often raise his voice, it wasn't his style. He couldn't help being angry. Klaus could see the gears turning in Five's head. Trying to find another approach that might get Klaus to cooperate. Despite spending 45 years in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Five still turned out exactly like Dad. 

"Dave's a soldier, Klaus, and duty always comes first," said Five.

Klaus was getting a headache. Between the ghost, the night with Dave, and now Five, he was really on edge. He rubbed the sides of his head and muttered, "I don't have to listen to this shit." He turned and walked away.

Five, who unfortunately never learned to take a hint, followed. "I know you love him, and I know this is a lot to ask. But we have lives to get back to. So do you, if you recall." 

“Oh yeah, a life of living on the street and a family that wouldn’t give me the time of day. And why? Because I'm a junkie whore,” Klaus said. “Because I super want to go back to everyone looking down their noses at me if they bother to think of me at all. So why don’t you all zap yourselves back to the real world and I can stay here in La La Land."

"We can't leave you behind."

"But you can pretend I don't exist and ground me? Fuck you, I'd rather stay with the Commission." 

"I'm serious Klaus," Five growled. "You're not staying here."

"And why's that?" He asked.

"What difference does it make?" Five rolled his eyes. There was that dismissive attitude again. Boy, no one could blow hot and cold like Five, and it was pissing Klaus off. 

"A huge fucking difference if you want me to go back to being alone all the fucking time! Why so insistent, huh?" He stalked closer to his shorter brother, getting up in his face. "What's so fucking important you can't just let me be happy?"

Five didn't answer, instead, he said, "You don't belong here anyway. And what do you think the Commission will do once we're gone and you're the only one left?"

Klaus thought about it, then smirked. "I bet they'd let me retire in Mexico with Dave if I sold the rest of you out. Unless of course, you decide to buzz off and pretend this conversation never happened." Okay, he probably wouldn't sell them down the river. Snitches get stitches and all that shit. It was very tempting, though. Dave would probably like Mexico. 

“You don’t mean that,” Five said. 

“The hell I don’t," Klaus exclaimed. "After all the bullshit I've been through in the past four years?" 

"Three," Five corrected.

He frowned. "We've been here for almost a year, Five."

"No, we haven't, it hasn't been that long." 

Klaus threw his hands in the air in frustration. "Fine, have it your way. The point is I want you to fucking leave me alone. Unless you want to actually act like a family instead of play-acting at one. And that includes Dave because he's part of my life whether you like it or not." 

Five grabbed his wrist to try to stop him. Klaus, however, had reached his limit. He shoved Five as hard as he could, then ran for it. He wasn't able to run fast, but it seemed to have gotten the point across. Five didn't follow him back to his room. When he got there, Johnson and the Ryans were watching television and talking about some game. Klaus didn't speak to them, he went to his room and closed the door, locking it.

As Klaus sank on the bed, he didn't know what he should do. He did understand Five's point of view. And yeah, maybe Klaus was being a selfish asshole by refusing to cooperate. Allison had a kid, and the rest of them had lives. Well, not Luther, but definitely Diego, Allison, and Vanya. Klaus did miss the "real world" sometimes, too. 

Then he thought about what he'd be going back to, and it made Klaus uneasy. No Dave and Ben was gone. Klaus didn't do well alone. And while he was sure that his siblings would make their best efforts, it didn't take much for them to grow annoyed with his "antics". So he'd be back on the drugs again in no time and they'd then be all superior at him and Klaus didn't want that.

He flopped back, staring at the bunk above his own bed. What the fuck was he going to do?

"Penny for your thoughts."

Libby was sitting next to him, and Klaus sighed. 

"Five wants me to help him."

"I heard," she replied. 

"You were there?" 

She nodded. "I stayed back. I didn't want to intrude."

"I kind of wish you had," Klaus murmured. He rubbed his eyes. "It's just so unfair. My life finally starts going right and Five wants me to throw it all away."

"Come here, honey." 

Klaus maneuvered so he could lay his head in her lap, and Libby obligingly brushed her fingers through his hair. That was always a soft spot with Klaus. 

"I don't know what to do," Klaus said.

"Oh? Why not?" 

"Like… I get it. If my life weren't such a fucking train-wreck I'd want to get back to it. Allison's got a daughter she hasn't seen in almost three years. Diego's got friends, and Vanya's got her orchestra and shit. But I don't want to leave without Dave," he replied. 

"I'm a little more concerned as to why he's so insistent that you leave with them," Libby replied. "When he comes by again you should ask him about it."

Klaus frowned. "You've got a point. The little shit heel was avoiding that subject pretty fucking hard." 

"Which tells me he'll be back," Libby concluded. 

"Ugh," he covered his face with his hands. "Because I so need that right now." 

"I still can't believe you got rid of that pirate all by yourself," she said, smiling at him. "You're a wonder, Klaus."

He smiled, but it was hidden behind his hands. "Glad someone thinks so."

"I've seen how Dave looks at you, I know I'm not the only one," she replied. 

Klaus stayed in his room until it was time for his shift. He slugged through his work, his thoughts rolling over in his head. When he got off and returned to the Commission, he wasn't surprised to see one of his siblings waiting for him. What did surprise him was which one.

"Hey Luther," he said. "You lost?"

"No, I came to talk to you. Do you mind if we go get something to eat?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "So long as wherever it is has tacos and you're buying. I'm starving." 

"Yeah, sure thing."

Klaus waved goodbye to the Ryans, Johnson was staying behind in the small office in the basement filling out paperwork. He followed his big brother upstairs to the recreation area. He wasn't surprised when they ended up at the diner. 

"I said tacos," he groaned.

"They serve tacos," Luther replied. 

They sat at the same back booth that Klaus and Allison sat in previously. Luther had a hard time fitting in with his huge muscles, but he managed. When the waitress showed up Klaus immediately ordered tacos, while Luther ordered enough food to feed an army and a pot of coffee. Once she was gone, he said, "Okay, let's get this over with."

"Get what over with?" Luther asked.

"The big speech, all the reasons Five's right, I'm wrong, and I should get with the program. Save us both some time and trouble, huh?" Klaus had just gotten water, and he was sipping it slowly. He was trying to cut back on anything with caffeine or sugar in the hours before bedtime. Sure, the pills knocked him out cold. But he figured it might help. 

Luther sighed. "I told Five we should wait a day or two."

"You've met him, how many people do you think he actually listens to?" 

"Good point." Luther was frowning. "I don't want you to be upset, but I have something I have to tell you." 

Klaus gestured for Luther to proceed. Luther appeared to be gathering his thoughts. Whatever it was, it must have been pretty shitty. Luther was more nervous than a virgin in a bordello. Klaus was ready to kick him when Luther finally spit it out.

"Dave was spying on you and Five."

Klaus blinked. "What?"

"Diego saw him," he said. "He followed you and Five downstairs and he was spying on you." 

Okay, that wasn't good news. Klaus frowned at Luther. "And Diego was following Dave why?"

"Five thinks the Commission has Dave watching us," said Luther. 

"And with all our fun sneaking around I wonder why that could be? Also, you do realize if you're accusing the Commission of spying this probably isn't a great conversation to have where any employee could overhear."

By the way Luther's ears turned pink, Klaus guessed not.

"I know you're fond of--"

"I love him."

"Sorry, I know you love him. But he's up to something." 

Klaus glared at Luther. "It's very convenient that my boyfriend is suddenly spying on us when I tell Five to go pound sand. That's such a remarkable coincidence I wonder if the two things could be related?"

"Now hold on--" Luther said but Klaus cut him off. 

"I don't want to hear it. I just want my tacos, my boyfriend, and sleep."

Luther huffed at that. "Is that all you think about, sex?"

Klaus was about to answer, but thankfully the waitress had come back with their orders. Luther's order took up pretty much the entire table. Klaus kept his plate on his lap and nibbled. He'd suddenly lost his appetite. Funny how your family turning on your boyfriend would do that to a person. 

As Luther ate his way through about half of the menu, Klaus said, "We haven't slept together."

He snorted. "Sure you haven't."

"We haven't," Klaus insisted. "Dave wanted to take things slow."

Luther frowned. "And you're okay with that? Who are you and what have you done with Klaus Hargreeves?"

He knew it was a joke. He didn't mean it. But it rubbed Klaus the wrong way. He scowled at Luther and said, "Oh right, because I can't live without sex or something. Just because I'm not the tight ass you are doesn't mean I'm gonna die if someone doesn't jerk me off." 

"I didn't mean it like that," said Luther. "I just… I'd heard some things."

"In the book right?" 

"Pardon?" 

"Vanya's book," Klaus said. "I don't know if she'd heard the rumors or maybe she just made it up. But she's got a whole bit in there about me trading my body for illicit substances." 

Luther seemed to have realized he'd made a mistake, at least if he wanted Klaus to go along with the plan. "I'm sorry, I didn't--"

Klaus didn't let him finish. "You know, sex work is real work. I'd like to see you get a seventy-year-old man off and have him convinced he's the hottest thing since sunburn. Fuck it's even harder if it's a woman! You get an old woman to come, you're a Goddamn magician. And I am absolutely a magician."

"Ew, I don't need to hear this."

"Then maybe you should have taken one of our siblings to dinner. I'm pretty sure Five's still a virgin if you don't count him and the mannequin."

He gagged. "That's a mental image no one needs."

Klaus could tell Luther was trying to lighten the mood. It was just too bad he wasn't funny. "Just because I was using sex work to get high doesn't mean it wasn't a job," said Klaus. "Okay, yeah, maybe it's not my proudest moment. But I'm not some sex maniac with no self-control looking to rub my genitals on any person within frotting distance."

"I know you're not," he said. Luther sighed as he stared down at his plate. "Really, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry." 

They went back to eating in silence. The tacos were hard shell and were a bit stale. There was no cilantro on them so these were about as far from tacos as one could be. Or at least in Klaus's opinion. He was no means an expert but he liked to think he knew a thing or two about tacos. 

When he'd finished he handed the plate to the waitress when she walked by, and said to Luther, "I'm going to call my boyfriend, then I'm going to bed. If you and the others would like to let me know why it's so fucking important for me to drop the life I've built for myself here I'm willing to listen."

Luther looked at him curiously. "You're really happy here?" 

"Duh," Klaus said derisively.

"It's only... That day when you saw Dave? I've never seen you more miserable. And you're…" Luther trailed off. "I don't know how to say this without sounding like an asshole."

"You've sounded like an asshole through this entire conversation," said Klaus. "I think I can stand one more verbal jab from you without exploding." 

Luther nodded. "Okay, fine. Let me walk you home though."

Ah, so he really didn't want anyone overhearing whatever came next. This was going to be fun. Luther paid the bill, making sure to tip generously. Which was pretty much required given all the food he'd eaten.

Klaus followed him out, and once they were out of the recreation area Luther started talking again. "I don't think Five is entirely right."

"Oh there's a new one, did you finally realize that Five's not Dad?" 

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Luther groaned.

"Because you're a daddy's boy as much as Diego's a momma's boy. It's so obvious I could probably see it from the moon without a telescope."

He glared at Klaus. "Don't be a dick."

"I'll stop when you do." They'd reached the elevators, and Klaus hit the call button. Once it arrived, they boarded and Klaus hit the button for his floor. Luther was clearly getting annoyed. 

"Can I make my point or are we just going to jerk each other around all night?" 

"Luther, I may be a size queen, but I'm sorry to say I'm just not into you." Klaus couldn't help himself, needling Luther was always one of his favorite activities. 

"I don't think Dave's some spy who never loved you," he said. "I think, however, the Commission might be using him to get information on us. Which puts him in an awkward situation, to say the least." 

Klaus had to admit that Luther had a point. "If that's true it means they're probably on to you guys. May want to drop it."

"We can't stay here forever Klaus," said Luther. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life hauling bodies and collecting ghosts like pogs?"

"Excuse you, I never collected pogs. That was Ben."

"That's not the point." They'd arrived at Klaus's floor, and he moved to get out. Luther stopped him, making Klaus look at him. "Promise me, if Dave does anything to make you uncomfortable or hurt you, you'll come to us."

"Why would I do that?" Klaus asked. 

"We're your family, we care about you."

"My but you all have a funny way of showing it." He limboed under Luther's arm and strode down the hall. "I'm not promising shit," he called over his shoulder.

When he got back to the dorm, however, Klaus called Dave long enough to say he wasn't feeling well and needed to lie down. Dave was sympathetic and offered to come over, but Klaus brushed him off. He closed himself in his room again and got ready for bed, his head full and heart heavy.

What Luther had said about Dave made sense. Klaus didn't want to admit it. He was happy with his head in the sand. Soon though, he'd have to stand up straight. Things would come to a head, and Klaus would be caught in the middle. And he was going to get trampled when the Commission and his siblings eventually came to blows. 

He took one of the purple pills and curled up under the covers. Klaus hoped he'd come up with some brilliant idea in the morning. 


	14. as snow falls on desert sky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating early because I'm experiencing rather extreme back pain and I'm spending the day in bed tomorrow. I'm also taking a social media break for the same reason. Don't have much more to say beyond that. Have a good week.

Dave wished he had some friends outside the Commission, or at least outside of Klaus and the other Numbers. It was weighing on him, what the Hargreeves were doing. They were planning to break their contract, and Dave knew that if he said a word to Herb or Dot they'd be locked up. Or worse. He wasn't sure what would happen to Klaus, but he liked to think that his employers would see reason and leave him alone. He didn't know for sure, which was the only reason he'd kept a lid on it.

He also hadn't talked to Klaus much since then, except for their nightly phone calls. Klaus kept asking when they could see each other again. Dave was running out of excuses, sooner or later he'd have to face his boyfriend and tell him everything. 

Then one morning he was surprised when a woman bathed in blue light walked through his front door and said, "You need to talk to Klaus."

"What the hell?!" Dave exclaimed, jumping to his feet. He'd been sitting at the table, eating toast and reading the paper. He sure as hell hadn't expected a ghost to just burst into his home.

"Klaus, he's worried you've changed your mind about being together," she said.

"Who're you?" 

"Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Libby."

It clicked in his head, and Dave said, "Klaus's ghost friend?"

"The very same."

"I've seen you before," Dave realized. "At the ghost party, the one he was having in his room. You were playing with his hair."

Libby smiled. "You've got a good memory."

"I don't think that's something I'll ever forget," he replied.

Her smile faded. "I'm worried about Klaus."

"How are you visible right now? Is he outside?" Dave asked, heading for the door. Libby stood in his path.

"No, he thinks I'm delivering a message to Five," she said. "Which I will, once I've left here. I wanted to talk to you first and ask why you suddenly won't give Klaus the time of day." 

Dave sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it for me."

This was a bad idea, Dave was sure of it. But he needed to talk to someone who wasn't a Hargreeves or part of the Commission. "If I tell you something, will you keep it to yourself?"

"Is it going to hurt Klaus?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." 

"I promise if it doesn't harm him I won't say a word," Libby said.

Dave moved to the living room and sat down on the couch, gesturing for Libby to join him. When she'd taken a seat, he started talking. "After Klaus and I started dating, I was given an assignment by the Commission. They know the Hargreeveses are up to something, they asked me to find out what and to report back."

"Sensible," she said. "I'm not sure why they were hired in the first place. If you ask me they're all a liability, Klaus included."

"I probably would have agreed with you when they first got here. But they're good at what they do, better than me even."

"What does this have to do with you avoiding Klaus?"

"The thing is, I know what they're up to. But… They're my friends, I'm worried if I do report them they'll be killed. It doesn't help that the others know what my assignment is. Diego even said if I get near Klaus again he'll kill me." 

"And what happens if the Commission finds out you've been hiding this from them?" Libby asked. 

"I'd be censured, and I probably wouldn't be allowed to see Klaus again. Unless I sit on it for too long and the Hargreeveses end up hurting someone or getting someone killed. Then I'd be dead, too," Dave admitted. 

Libby bit her lip. "This is quite the pickle. I can see why you wouldn't want to drag Klaus into this." 

"The worst part is, I still don't know what to do. If I report them, they could all die. Klaus isn't in on it, I overheard him and Five talking. But it's still guilt by association and Five has stepped on too many toes here at the Commission for them to give him another chance. If I don't say anything, they could still all die, and I would too." 

Dave let his head fall in his hands, hunching over as he tried to keep from panicking. What was he going to do? 

"Might I offer you some advice?" Libby asked.

"Sure."

"Tell Klaus."

He sat up. "What?" 

"Tell him what's going on, all of it. That's what's driven a wedge between him and his brothers and sisters. They keep him out of the important things that affect him too. Until recently, that is. And to be frank I don't think it was fair of Five to ask such a big favor of Klaus when he's been ignoring him for so long." Libby frowned. "Sorry, I'm getting carried away. Talk to Klaus, ask him what he wants to do." 

It was so simple, and yet Dave hesitated. "What if he's upset I was keeping this from him?"

"He's so in love with you I think he'd forgive you anything. I'm not saying he won't be angry or disappointed, because he will be. The longer you keep it from him, the more it's going to hurt when you come clean." 

She was right, and Dave knew she was right. He nodded. "You're right. I'll tell him, I'll tell him tonight. Is he in his room, do you know?"

"He's just about to get on shift but if you call him now you should still be able to catch him."

"Thanks, Libby," Dave said. He went to kiss her cheek, but of course, he went right through her.

"Get going," she admonished, then walked through the door again. 

Dave rushed over to the phone and dialed Klaus's number. It rang several times, and he thought he'd missed him. Then the line picked up and Dave heard what sounded like someone falling over. "Hello?!" Klaus yelled, some distance from the receiver it sounded like. "Don't hang up!"

"I'm not," Dave said.

"Dave?"

"Yeah, it's me."

The relief in Klaus's voice was palpable. "I'm so glad to hear your voice."

"You too. Are you free this evening?" Dave asked. 

"I'm off at five."

"Great. Meet me at my place for dinner? There's something I want to talk to you about, it's important."

Klaus couldn't contain the glee in his voice, and it made Dave want to laugh. "Yeah, absolutely! What time? It takes me about ten minutes to get there from the furnace."

"How about at six? It gives me enough time to cook and you to change."

"Perfect, I'll be there at six. I--I'll see you then," Klaus said.

"Can't wait, goodbye," Dave replied and hung up.

Klaus had almost said 'I love you', Dave was sure of it. Libby was right, Dave had to tell Klaus the truth. It was the only way this relationship would work. And maybe Klaus would have an idea how to get the other Hargreeveses out of trouble. With that cheerful thought, Dave finished his toast and went to report for duty.

While yes he was on the Hargreeves assignment, he still received regular jobs so as not to raise anyone's suspicions. He was surprised however when this morning he saw that his name was paired with Five's and Allison's on the assignment board. He hadn't worked with them since Allison's probationary period. 

"Ready?" 

Dave turned around to see Allison and Five waiting, both in blue suits and Allison carrying a briefcase. 

"What's the job?" Dave asked. 

"Simple shoot and bury, won't take long," said Five.

"Then why do you need me?"

"There are five targets," Allison explained. "It will go faster if there's three of us. We asked Dot, she said it was okay." 

He wasn't stupid, and Dave wanted to refuse. But if he did, he'd have to tell Dot why, and he didn't want to admit the Hargreeveses were on to him. If he did, someone else would be assigned the case. Someone who may not have the qualms about reporting the Numbers that Dave did. He nodded and said, "All right, let's go." 

Five activated the briefcase. 

They were in a field. "Come on, it's a bit of a walk," Five said.

Dave was uneasy. It was two against one and the other two had powers. It wasn't unheard of for a Corrector to die in the line of duty. It didn't happen often, because they were well trained and hard to kill. Of course, hard to kill didn't mean impossible. And Dave was nervous. He hid it well, but occasionally Five or Allison would glance at him, and it was a cold look he received each time.

Finally, they arrived at their target destination, a stone cottage that looked to be part of an abandoned farm. Inside, Dave could see four men, five if you count the guy tied to the chair. The prisoner was wearing nice clothes, Victorian, definitely upper crust but they were worn in places and his shoes were scuffed. The man likely had fallen on hard times.

The other men were in threadbare clothes and shoes likely being held together by the power of prayer, they were in such bad condition. They were talking rapidly in French. One of the captors was going through a trunk and made a sound of triumph when he pulled out what looked like an old camera. 

However, it had been modified, and it clicked in Dave's head what they were looking at. 

It had to be Louis Le Prince. And these must have been the men who kidnapped him. Dave had always wondered if he would find out the truth working for the Commission. He'd been fascinated by the case as a kid since he hadn't been the biggest fan of Thomas Edison. That the movie camera might have been invented by someone else was intriguing.

Even more so, was the disappearance of the inventor, Loui Le Prince.

"What's the mission objective?" Dave asked in a whisper.

"Kill them all, destroy the camera," Five replied. 

"How do we want to go about this?" 

Allison and Five looked at each other, and Five said, "Allison, try to lure one outside. Dave, go in through the back. I'll pop in when they're distracted and we should be able to get them before they know what happened."

Dave nodded and slipped around to the back of the cottage. He could hear Allison out front, singing a song in French in that sweet voice of hers. He could hear one of the guys calling out to her. The one with the camera was coming Dave's way, probably looking to hide it since they clearly weren't alone. He walked right past, and Dave grabbed him from behind, snapping his neck. 

The camera dropped to the ground and the corpse with it. 

The noise was enough to startle the people inside, and Dave threw the door open just as Five popped in. He had a knife and made short work of the two remaining captives. Allison had already taken care of the man who'd followed her. Five then looked at Le Prince and plunged the knife into his heart. 

"It's a shame," Dave said. "The man was a genius."

"Yeah," Five said. 

Then Allison closed the door to the cottage, looked Dave in the eye, and said, "I heard a rumor you couldn't move." 

Dave felt his muscles seize up, as though he were frozen in place. He was trying to keep from panicking, but it was difficult. He was incapacitated, in the middle of nowhere in 1890s France with two people he was sure wanted him dead. He couldn't think of a worse situation if he tried. 

"Come on, let's take care of these bodies first, we'll deal with him later," said Five.

"I've already taken care of that," Allison told him with a smirk. "Klaus is working today, remember?"

Five smiled back. "You're good."

"Yes, I am."

Dave could feel his pulse speeding up. What the hell was their game plan? 

"Don't worry, we're not going to kill you," said Five. "At least not yet."

"Not until we get the truth," Allison added. 

"And Klaus is going to hear it whether he likes it or not," Five concluded. 

So that was their plan. But if Klaus was coming to work clean up on this job, wouldn't that mean the rest of his team would be there, too? 

Five, almost like he'd read his mind, said, "Klaus is working solo today, so there won't be any interruptions."

Allison untied Louis Le Prince from the chair, dumping his body on the ground. "I heard a rumor you had a seat," she said to Dave. 

He tried to fight it, but his body was moving of its own accord. Dave sat down but then tried to get up again. The order was to sit down, not to stay still. 

"I heard a rumor you sat down and stayed in the chair without moving," Allison said, and Dave was immobile again. 

Even with Allison's rumor in place, they didn't seem to want to take any chances. She and Five tied Dave to the chair, making the ropes so tight that Dave was sure they were cutting off his circulation. He was trying to stay calm, but he was so afraid. He didn't want this to be how Klaus found out. He'd had a plan to tell him the truth at dinner so they could decide, as a couple, what to do. 

Five and Allison cleaned up the scene, apparently, they didn't want Klaus to have to do any extra work while they ripped his heart out. It was then that there was another flash, and Dave was surprised to see Luther, Vanya, and Diego walking into the cottage.

"We're clear, no one should miss us for the next thirty minutes," Vanya said.

"Great work sis," Five replied. 

Diego was glaring at him, and Dave could feel a tear sliding down his cheek. He'd have to face the music. He and Klaus were over. The Numbers were going to kill him. And there was nothing that Dave could do about it.

Allison frowned. "What are you crying about?" 

"Probably sorry he got caught," Diego said dismissively.

Dave refused to answer. He'd be talking soon enough. 

There was a sound outside, and Dave could hear Klaus off in the distance. He was whistling a song, and he sounded happy. Probably excited for the date that wasn't going to happen now. Then he stepped into the cottage and upon seeing Dave, he rushed to his side. "Dave! What the hell?!"

"Don't untie him," Luther said. 

"What in the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Klaus screamed.

"He's a Commission spy, and we're going to prove it," Allison told him. 

"You are unbelievable!" Klaus was on his feet and glaring at his siblings. "What the fuck is wrong with all of you? You fucking kidnapped my boyfriend?!"

"He's not your boyfriend! He's been working for the Commission the whole time, he's using you, Klaus!" Five snapped. 

Allison looked at Dave and said, "I heard a rumor you told us everything."

This was it, the moment of truth. Dave took a deep breath and started talking.

* * *

The day had started out mediocre. Klaus was feeling lonely without Dave, and he still wasn't talking to his siblings. The guys on his team were their own little insular unit, so Klaus was mostly hanging out with dead people again. It wasn't so bad. Libby was always around, flat out refusing to leave. Klaus had offered a couple times to help her move on, but she'd turned him down. 

"I won't leave until I know for sure you're going to be okay," she'd said. 

Just because Klaus wasn't talking to them, though, didn't mean that Five and the others had given up. As a matter of fact, they kept sending him messages through the company's freakin'... Message tube system. Klaus knew the word for it but he couldn't remember the name. After the fifth such message, he'd sent Libby to tell Five to knock it off. 

They couldn't seem to respect his wishes, and it was pissing Klaus off. 

He'd sat on the bed and concentrated, making Libby visible. She looked at him and asked, "Are you sure you can keep it up from that distance?"

"Only one way to find out," he'd said with a smile. 

She laughed and left the room, scaring the shit out of one of the Ryans as she went. 

Klaus had made breakfast. Just Pop-Tarts, nothing special. He'd kind of lost his appetite recently, though why was a mystery. He was supposed to go back and see the company doctor in a couple days, he could ask then. They were supposed to go over the current side effects of the medication and see if it needed to be adjusted. 

He was still sleeping like the dead. One moment his eyes would be slowly closing the next it would be about ten hours later and he'd feel fantastic. The problem was his appearance. Klaus might have felt good, but he looked terrible. About half of his hair was white now, and he was pale with dark circles under his eyes. Klaus started wearing makeup every day to try to hide it. 

He was still getting weird looks from people, living and dead. 

Klaus would also have these moments where he'd completely zone out. Like, he was kind of aware of it, but in the same breath, he couldn't feel his body. He wasn't looking out of his eyes. It almost felt like he was leaving his body. Part of him thought maybe he was disassociating, which wouldn't be a surprise with everything he'd been through. This was different, he couldn't say how but it was. 

It was during one of these incidents that Dave called. Klaus finally snapped out of it around the eighth ring and jumped up and ran for the phone. He hadn't been watching where he was going, which was how he'd tripped over a kitchen chair just as he'd reached the damn phone.

Once he was standing again, Klaus and Dave talked. His heart leaped into his throat when Dave invited him to dinner. They were going to talk. God Klaus loved him so much, and he almost said it too, only catching himself just barely in time. When he hung up, Johnson said it was time to go. Klaus left the dorm with a smile on his face and a song in his heart. Nothing would ruin this day, or so he thought. 

Yeah, it was a bit weird that he was going on an assignment by himself. Technically, he didn't actually need to work on a team anymore. He could summon ghosts to help him move the bodies. They wouldn't like it, but not like there was anything they could do to him now. Since he'd been sleeping more, Klaus was getting better at controlling his powers. 

Johnson told him that he and the Ryans were going for some training thing, so Klaus would be flying solo. Which, fine, he could work on his own.

When he arrived at the pickup, it felt strange to be there on his own. Libby wasn't with him, he'd asked her to stay behind. He knew she hated looking at corpses, ever since she'd seen her own. He could ask the local ghosties for help. He doubted that any of the victims would be so helpful, but Klaus was learning there were ghosts everywhere and he could make them do what he wanted.

It was weird at first, and maybe a bit wrong. Who wanted to be forced to do things against their will? Then Klaus would remember all the years he'd been at the mercy of ghosts, and that guilt would go away. He probably needed to talk to someone about that. As it stood, he kept it to himself. 

Then he walked into the cottage and saw his family, circled around his boyfriend. They were almost gleeful as they told Klaus that Dave had been spying on them. Their smug self-righteousness was rubbing Klaus all the wrong ways. Allison was actually smiling as she rumored Dave to "tell us everything".

Klaus was about done. This was officially going too far. They'd tied Dave up and now they were forcing him to talk like he was some kind of criminal. He was about to tell them where to stick it, but then Dave said, "I've been assigned to keep an eye on you. Herb said to watch Numbers One, Two, Three, Five, and Seven and report any irregularities immediately."

"Wait, not me?" Klaus asked.

"It was determined that Number Four was not a threat," he said. 

Okay, ouch. 

Allison asked, "How much have you learned?"

"Enough. I don't want to hurt any of you."

"You're tied to a chair, how are you gonna hurt us?" Diego said mockingly.

"I'm not being literal, though I suppose it could go that way," Dave said. "I know you're looking to break your contract and escape to another timeline."

Allison still had her eyes on Dave, which meant he was still under her power. "How long have you been spying on us?"

"Shortly after Klaus and I started dating," Dave answered. 

"Not before?" Luther asked, surprise clear in his tone.

"No, after. I was given the assignment because I'm the only person who's gotten close to any of you. And I took it to keep you safe," said Dave. "I didn't want someone squealing on you. I figured if I was in charge I'd be able to cover your tracks, though you seem to be pretty good at doing so yourselves. For the most part." 

"Bullshit. What have you told them, Gadget?" This was from Five. Klaus wanted to kick him in the shins. 

"Nothing," Dave replied. "I haven't told them anything. Except that I've been following you." 

"Why not?" Klaus asked

Dave looked down at him, and he looked so sad it broke Klaus's heart. "Because I love you. And even if they're not too fond of me right now, I love your family too. They're some of the best friends I've ever had. I don't want to see anyone hurt." 

"Are you going to report us?" Vanya asked. 

Dave sighed. "I'll have to eventually. Unless I wanna end up in the furnace. I can buy you time though. At least enough to get done what you need to be done." 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Klaus was hurt, but there was so much going on right now he really didn't know what to think. 

"I was going to, tonight. It's why I asked you to dinner. I wanted to know what you thought I should do," he said. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to put you in danger or make you feel like you had to choose between me or your family."

He was telling the truth. Allison still had a grip on him mentally. Though now she wasn't acting so haughty, she looked… Guilty? Embarrassed? It was difficult to tell, and he wasn't sure that he cared to know. As Klaus glanced at each of his siblings in turn, it was much the same for all of them. Except Five, who was pensive and not looking back. 

Klaus reached up and cupped the side of Dave's face. He was crying, and Klaus wiped the tears away with his thumb. God, but Dave was too sweet for his own good. "Can we untie my boyfriend now?" Klaus asked scathingly. 

Diego approached with a knife in hand like always. He cut through the ropes, and once he was free Klaus threw his arms around Dave and kissed him. Dave kissed him back, a hand sliding into Klaus's curls to keep him there. He sighed, loving the feel of Dave's strong fingers moving so softly through his hair. 

Then he heard someone clear their throat and Klaus pulled away. 

"We should be heading back," said Luther. 

He rolled his eyes and got to his feet, Dave coming with him. "Yeah, wouldn't want anyone to think you're up to something. I mean, more than they already do," Klaus snapped.

Thankfully, no one disagreed or talked about how they'd been right all along. Because it sounded to Klaus like Dave had been trying to keep their ungrateful asses out of the fire. And what had that gotten him? Tied to a chair in the middle of nowhere and mind-controlled to tell the truth. 

Five and Allison took one briefcase back, Vanya, Diego, and Luther the other. Which left Klaus with Dave. Klaus sighed and said to Dave, "I'm so sorry. They think the worst of everyone. I can't blame them, not after what our Dad did to us growing up. I just wish they'd stop acting like you're out to get them."

"They can't help feeling how they feel," Dave said. "Besides they were kind of right about me."

"They said you were only dating me to get close to them," Klaus replied, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "Because, you know, I'm just useless, stupid Klaus. No one in their right mind would love me."

Dave took Klaus's hands in his and said, "That's not true. I love you and your family loves you, even if they're not good at showing it. I think it's because they're so afraid of losing you that they're, well… Like that." 

"I'm an adult for fuck's sake," Klaus said. "And why are you taking their side?"

"I'm not taking anyone's side. But I can see things differently than the rest of you because we didn't grow up together. I'm not saying you have to forgive them, God knows I'm pretty damn mad at them right now. I am saying you shouldn't condemn them either."

He had a point, though Klaus wouldn't admit it. Instead, he decided to change the subject. "Are we still on for dinner tonight?" 

"Absolutely."

Klaus grinned. "Great. What are we having?"

"Meatloaf," Dave replied. "And chocolate cake for dessert."

He clapped his hands with excitement. "Yes! I am here for it!" 

Dave laughed. "Come on, let's head back."

"Wait, I still have five bodies I've got to move."

"Allison and Five ditched them already, you're in the clear." 

They returned to the Commission, neither of them having much to do with themselves since technically they'd finished their tasks for the day. However, when they were walking past the briefcase room, it was to see a new office had been set up. "What's going on here?" Klaus asked.

"Oh, this must be the new department," said Dave.

"What new department?" 

He smiled. "I'll show you."

They went inside, and it looked like an old tailor's shop. There was a diminutive man, even smaller than Herb, who was fussing over some red and gold fabric and saying, "This is unacceptable. This isn't samite at all! And it's machine manufactured."

"They won't be able to tell the difference," a young Asian woman said. She was admiring herself in a mirror, but she looked weird. She was blending a few different eras with her outfit.

"Oh, Gadget, hello!" The man said with a wave. 

"Hi Schneider," Dave replied. "So Wardrobe's about ready to go huh?"

"Oh, not even close! We'll never be able to open! They keep sending me the wrong fabrics!" He whined. 

The young woman was still staring at herself. "I'm telling you, they won't know the difference. Anyway, I'm off." 

"Where are you headed?" Dave asked.

"The Court of St. James. Someone's been mucking about with George III's care, they might kill him sooner than needed." 

"What year?" Klaus asked. 

"1807," she replied.

Klaus snorted. "You can't go wearing that. You'll stick out like a sore thumb!"

She blinked. "Excuse me?" 

"That dress is a _robe a l'Anglaise_ , it's from the 1780s. And your hairstyle is from the Edwardian era," he explained. 

The young woman rolled her eyes. "I think I know a bit more about history than you do." She was so snide and condescending, she reminded Klaus of Five. If it weren't for Dave, Klaus would think that the Commission trained people to be snotty. 

"I may not know a lot, but I know fashion. Look it up," Klaus told her.

"He's right."

They turned their heads to see Dot standing in the doorway. "That's completely inappropriate, Phuong. You'll need to do it again." 

The woman, Phuong, glared at Klaus then at Dot, but she didn't argue. Instead, she went to the back of the shop, presumably to change. 

"That was a good catch," Dot said. "I didn't know you were interested in historical fashion."

"I always wanted to be a princess," Klaus said. "So I used to read about clothes from the European royal courts a lot." 

Dot laughed. "I see. Are there any other times you might know?"

"I can spot vintage Chanel a mile away," he replied. "Pretty much anything American."

She was smiling now. "Really? That's interesting. Number Four, would you be interested in sitting for an assessment tomorrow?" 

"Wait, really? Is this a trick?" He frowned at her. With everything that happened today, he wasn't sure he could take much more.

"No trick," Dot assured him. "So far we only have Schneider and Phuong for the Wardrobe department. If you're as knowledgeable as you seem, they could really use the help." 

Dave was beaming at him and he said, "It's your call, but I think you'd like it. Seems right up your alley."

Klaus wasn't even sure why he was second-guessing this. He smiled and said, "Yeah, okay, I'm down. What time?"

"Report to my office at nine AM tomorrow," said Dot.

"You got it."

"Dave, a word please?" 

"Of course."

Dave and Dot stepped outside while Klaus looked around. It really was like a tailor's shop. Fabrics, mannequins, patterns everywhere. Klaus hoped he didn't have to sew. He'd never gotten the hang of a sewing machine. He could knit though, that could be useful. Schneider was still fussing over the fabric on his table, so Klaus went to look. 

"Oh, yeah, that's not samite," he said.

"I know! I'm not even sure what to use this for," Schneider groaned.

Klaus ran his fingers over it and said, "Well, it's synthetic and looks like upholstery fabric. I'd say you're safe using it for the late 70s and early 80s."

He blinked. "That's… Actually, that's a fantastic idea, thank you!" 

"No problem."

"I hope you pass that test tomorrow, I need all the help I can get and Phuong doesn't know Rococo from Renaissance."

"If she's so inexperienced why was she assigned here?" 

"It's not that she's inexperienced, it's that her area of expertise is quite specific. Mostly she deals with East Asian historical wear," Schneider said.

Okay, yeah, that made sense. "I'm sure that's got its own pitfalls, huh?" 

"You said it, and we still don't have someone who can cover Central and South American fashion history let alone Africa. Do you know how many countries there are in Africa? And each has their own sartorial history," he groaned.

"Oh, that's fun."

Dave came back into the shop and asked, "Ready?"

"Yeah, nice meeting you Schneider."

"You too, Number Four!"


	15. until the end of everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say tired and trying to get this done before I turn in for the night. I'm going to be updating on Fridays and Saturdays from now on. Because Sundays from now until... I don't even know I'm disconnecting from the internet. I need to use the time to focus on writing. Also like, reading an actual book every now and again probably wouldn't hurt. I'm also off social media on the weekends so I'm not gonna be posting about this on Tumblr. Look after yourselves and stay safe. 
> 
> And this is just because I'm seeing this a LOT... Wear a mask!

Once Dave and Klaus were out of the Wardrobe department, they went back to Dave's place. They ended up ordering in, Dave still a little too shaken to cook that meatloaf. He was sure that if it weren't for Klaus, he'd be dead right now. Though it did hurt him to realize that the other Hargreeveses either had never thought of him as a friend, or it didn't matter in the long scheme of things and they hadn't trusted him. 

It created a whole host of other problems that Dave was still mulling over.

Klaus had insisted on Mexican, saying that he had a craving that needed to be satisfied. Dave found that to be pretty cute, and he couldn't say no to Klaus. When the food arrived, they sat on the floor in front of the coffee table and tucked in. They ate in silence, neither wanting to be the first to speak. 

Klaus was still in his Sanitation jumpsuit, sans the hat. Dave had stripped out of his tie and blazer, but for the most part, was still wearing his uniform. Things felt tense, and Dave wasn't sure how to start, or where. Thankfully, he didn't have to.

When they'd finished eating, Klaus asked, "So why tonight?"

"Libby said you were getting pretty upset I wasn't talking to you," said Dave. "And I didn't want to hurt you any more than I already had. I'm sorry it took so long for me to come to my senses." 

"Yeah, I mean… I wish you'd said something sooner." He wasn't looking at Dave as he talked. 

"I do too. I've been really worried about this whole situation. I'm still not sure how long I'm going to be able to keep this from the Director."

He looked at Dave and raised an eyebrow. "You're going to tell them?"

"I have to," he replied. "I'm hoping that Five will beat me to it." 

"Five? Are you serious?"

Dave shrugged. "He's a skilled tactician. And after today, it's pretty clear he doesn't trust me. If he can use my deception to his advantage he will. Up to and including reporting me to Herb."

"That does sound like something the little shit would do." 

"I'm going to wait and see what his next move is. I'm sure he's doing the same. If it weren't for Allison's rumors he wouldn't have believed a word of it so I'm glad she was there, too." 

"Even if they were totally expecting you to spill your guts so I'd dump you."

Klaus sounded so forlorn at that, Dave put a hand over his. "They're just trying to protect you."

"They're doing a shitty job of it," said Klaus, tugging at his hair with his free hand.

Which, Dave couldn't disagree. "Have you talked to the doctor lately?" Klaus had more energy and was getting back to his jovial self. That he still looked like hell was concerning. 

"Yes. He says my hair may be stuck this way for a while, we'll have to wait it out."

"Did he say why you look like you have TB?" Dave asked.

"Stress."

Dave could believe that. Klaus didn't exactly lead a carefree life. "Maybe you should take a vacation."

"I'm pretty sure I don't have any PTO. Way too low on the food chain."

"I'll talk to someone, see if maybe I can donate some of mine to you. I never use it anyway." 

Klaus frowned. "I don't get it." 

"What?"

"Why not tattle on Five and the others? Not just because of me, is it?"

Dave shook his head. "Don't get me wrong, you're a very big motivating factor in that particular conversation. I even told Herb I didn't want to take the assignment if I couldn't eventually tell you about it. But… Even if they don't think of me as one, I consider them my friends." 

Klaus snorted. "That would be news to my sibbies, I'm sure." 

"Yeah, probably," said Dave with a shrug. He then turned to face Klaus. "I want to say something to you."

"I'm listening."

"Look at me, please." Klaus turned his head, his beautiful sage green eyes shining in the dim light. Dave cupped the side of his face. "I want to say this without being rumored. I love you, Klaus Hargreeves." 

"Oh Dave," he said, his eyes welling up with tears. "I love you too. I mean, you know that, but… I do."

And he did know. Klaus wasn't good at hiding his emotions. He wore his heart on his sleeve and never apologized for it. Something that Dave admired about him. Before either knew what was happening their lips met in a nerve-searing kiss. Klaus climbed into Dave's lap, a needy sound issuing from the back of his throat. 

Dave wrapped his arms around Klaus, who was currently trying to get his shirt off. Dave grabbed his hands and said, "Hey, hey, slow down."

Klaus groaned. "You're not going to insist we wait again are you?"

"No," Dave said, "I want this as much as you do. But I also don't want us to make love for the first time in my living room. Come on." 

"Ugh, you softie." But Klaus was smiling. 

They got up, having difficulty keeping their hands to themselves as they went to the bedroom, ditching their shoes and socks on the way. Once there, Dave shut the door and was surprised when Klaus pushed him against it, their lips locking together. This time, Dave didn't try to stop him, he went with it. He kissed Klaus back, cupping his face in his hands as he did. 

Klaus in turn was unbuttoning Dave's shirt, his cold hands running over Dave's chest, making him gasp. "Your fingers are like icicles."

"Yeah, I think it's poor circulation or something. Being a bean pole kind of has that downside," Klaus said, pushing Dave's shirt off completely

"I think you look perfect," Dave said with a grin, kissing him again. As he did, he grasped the zipper on Klaus's jumpsuit and pulled it down. He couldn't help laughing. "You're supposed to wear something under this you know."

"Too confining," Klaus replied. He let the jumpsuit drop to the floor and was completely naked in front of Dave. 

He took a moment to enjoy the sight. Yes, he was skinnier than he should be, and he was still too pale. His tattoos stood out against his skin, and Dave couldn't stop a smile when he saw one on Klaus's shoulder. "Is that my squadron?"

"Our squadron," Klaus said. "Or it was before we fucked everything up." 

He ran his fingers over the ink and said, "You're beautiful. And brave."

"I am like, the least brave person you'll ever meet," Klaus said. "Like that's the whole reason I'm a druggie, too scared of the dead to talk to them." 

"Hey, don't do that," Dave said. "Don't put yourself down that way. I love you, and you are beautiful and brave." 

Klaus bit his lip and said, "I love you too. You're the best man I've ever known. Hands down."

They kissed, and the night went from there. They stayed up late into the night, exploring each others bodies until they were satisfied and exhausted. They showered after, Klaus tenderly washing Dave's hair, until they found themselves in bed again. Dave, however, found that he couldn't sleep. 

"Klaus?" He whispered. If he was asleep he didn't want to disturb him. 

"Mmm?" 

"Nevermind." He knew how hard it was for Klaus to sleep these days, he didn't want to disturb him.

"What is it?" Klaus asked, nuzzling Dave's neck. 

"I was wondering… You know their plan, right?"

"To jump to their new favorite timeline? Yeah, I know it."

"Why don't you want to go with them?"

Klaus was quiet for a long time, and if it weren't for his ragged breath, Dave would think that he'd fallen asleep. He said quietly, "There's nothing there for me. Ben's gone, you're gone, and the minute that there's not an apocalypse or a Commission breathing down our necks they'll forget about me and go on with their own lives. I'll be alone again."

"They wouldn't forget you," Dave said, and Klaus snorted.

"Oh yeah? How'd I spend my first few months with the Commission?"

He sighed. "Okay, I see your point."

"I'm not remembered unless they need something from me. Like Five and his stupid time travel equation," he grumbled. "No fucking way am I summoning Cha-Cha. Maybe, Hazel, he seemed kind of decent even though he was the one beating the shit out of me."

Dave blinked and though he couldn't see Klaus in the dark, he tried to look at him. "Come again?"

"It was before the apocalypse when Five came back," said Klaus.

He sighed. "Oh right, the contract termination mission. I didn't know you were involved in that."

"Hazel kidnapped me so he and Cha-Cha could torture me for information. Then when that didn't work quite how they hoped they used me as bait instead," he said. "Which was stupid. No one even noticed I was missing. I told them that and said, 'you assholes kidnapped the wrong guy' and I was right. I found out later that Luther and Diego were looking for Five the whole time. Allison and Vanya were having their sisterly bonding, Mom was deactivated and Pogo never liked me anyway."

It hurt Dave's heart to hear Klaus say it. Apparently, this was a pattern with the Hargreeveses. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." He wrapped his arms around Klaus, kissing his neck gently. "I'd look for you."

"I know you would," he whispered. 

"I love you," Dave said. "I love you so much, I hope you know that."

"I do, and I love you too," said Klaus. 

They made love again, Dave unwilling to let the night end on such a sad note. They fell asleep shortly after, too exhausted to do much more than roll over and fall asleep. 

Dave woke at six and was a little surprised to see he was in bed alone. He panicked for a moment, remembering last night's conversation. Surely nothing had happened to Klaus? When Dave walked into the living room, it was to see Klaus coming in the front door. He had two take out boxes in his hand, though he seemed… Different.

"Uh, morning," said Dave. "You okay?"

"Good morning, David," Klaus said, a tight smile on his face. "I brought breakfast. Would you excuse me a minute? I need to use the little girl's room." He gave the boxes to Dave and walked past him into the bedroom.

This definitely worried Dave, who put the boxes down and followed after him, however when Dave reached the bedroom the door was closed and he could hear the tap running in the sink. He frowned and sat on the bed, waiting. What the hell was going on? 

When Klaus came out of the bathroom he was yawning. "Fuck I'm tired," he said. "Maybe I should have swiped my pills from downstairs." 

"Are you okay?" Dave asked.

"Yeah, fine, why?" Klaus was frowning. 

"You… Were acting a little different," he said. 

"Oh yeah I'm not a morning person, like, at all," said Klaus. "I'm starving."

"Guess it's a good thing you picked up breakfast then."

Klaus paused. "I did what?"

"Breakfast?" Dave said. "You picked up breakfast for us."

"I did?"

"Yes."

Klaus seemed to consider this, and Dave was going from a bit confused to very worried in short order. "Huh. Well, food's food. C'mon."

They returned to the living room. Apparently, someone, probably Klaus, had cleared up their take out containers from the previous night. Klaus grabbed both the boxes and opened them, revealing Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. He clapped happily and said, "My favorite." 

"Klaus are you sure you're okay?" Dave asked, sitting next to him. 

"Yeah, just… I guess I'm kind of out of it. I am getting on in years and that much mind-blowing sex can't be good for my brain," Klaus teased. 

Dave wanted to press, but he could see Klaus's shoulders were tense. "Have you been forgetting a lot of stuff lately?" 

"Not more than usual," Klaus said. "I do forget a lot, though. All the drugs."

He supposed that made sense, but it didn't mean that Dave wasn't worried. "I think maybe we should take you to the doctor today. It could be a side effect of the medication."

"Dave," Klaus whined. "Don't ruin a lovely morning by acting all motherly." 

"I'm serious," Dave said. "I'm worried about you. You don't seem to be getting any better and if you're going to interview for that position in Wardrobe you need to be in tip-top shape. Okay?" 

Klaus groaned. "I better be getting something really awesome out of this or I'm going to be so fucking annoyed." 

"Move in with me."

They froze and stared at each other. Dave had blurted it out like it was nothing, no big deal. But it was a huge deal. Dave had never had a partner long enough to live with them, and he was pretty sure the same was true of Klaus. 

"What?" Klaus asked.

"Move in with me," Dave said. "I can ask Dot to send your stuff up here. Besides if you're transferring to Wardrobe you need a place that's closer to the administration level anyway." 

"That's assuming I get the job which I may not," said Klaus. 

"You will, I'm sure of it," he replied. "Look, even if you don't, I don't want to spend every night on the phone with you. I want to see you, and live with you."

Klaus frowned, then suddenly he smiled. "What the hell am I saying? Of course, I'll move in with you."

"Really?"

"Yeah! Nothing would make me happier."

Dave grinned and tackled Klaus to the ground, kissing him soundly as they both laughed. Once they pulled apart, he said, "I'll go tell Dot right now."

"I'll be here when you get back," Klaus replied. "Though… Libby says we should eat first." 

"She's right on that one."

They had breakfast, and then Dave left to find Dot, his heart lighter than it had been. He hadn't been killed by the Hargreeveses, he and Klaus made love for the first time, and now Klaus was moving in with him. This was going to be a good day, or at least he hoped it would be. That little incident with Klaus acting so weird this morning was worrying to say the least.

No, he couldn't let himself think like that. It would be good, no matter what. They were young and in love, and the world was better for it. As he headed to Dot's office, he was surprised to see Five waiting outside. Dave kept himself composed, but this couldn't be good. 

"I need to speak with you," said Five.

"No you don't," Dave said. 

Five raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You don't need to speak with me," he said. "You're here because you want me to convince Klaus of something since he'll listen to me and not you. You know, because your plan to break his heart and have him dump me blew up in your face."

"That's not--" Five started but Dave cut him off.

"Isn't it? You're still trying to get the equation aren't you?" Five didn't speak, so Dave sighed. "Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying so if you'll excuse me."

Five grabbed his arm and said, "It's important."

"To you maybe." Dave crossed his arms. "Ordinarily, I wouldn't do this in a public place, airing dirty laundry isn't exactly in my repertoire. But I'm sick of you, your brothers, and your sisters treating Klaus like he's disposable. Like he's not as good or as smart as the rest of you and shouldn't make his own choices. I'm also pretty damn mad that my friendship meant so little to your family that you were willing to kidnap and mind control me to prove a point."

"You don't understand what's at stake!" Five declared.

"Then explain it to me."

Five hesitated and Dave rolled his eyes.

"That's what I thought. I understand keeping a secret, it's a big part of my job. I don't understand keeping them from the people you love or hurting them to keep it. If you ever decide to let me and Klaus in on it, give me a call. I'm in the phone book." And with that, Dave turned his back on Five and went into Dot's office to request that transfer. When he came out again, Five was gone. 

* * *

Klaus was nervous as fuck. 

Did he really want this job? Probably not. Like, he hated working. Who liked to work? Only freaks like Luther or Diego. Work sucked. Buuuuut Wardrobe would probably suck less than Sanitation so here he was. Dave couldn't come with him to the interview which, okay yeah understandable. Klaus would probably be distracted the whole time anyway and making stupid faces at him. Which… Yeah, that might not get him the job. 

When he arrived at Dot's office she was waiting for him, along with Schneider and Phuong. "Good morning," Dot said, and handed him a stack of papers. "I want you to fill out as many of these as you know and identify which eras and regions they're from."

"Yeah, okay," said Klaus and sat down. Jesus, a written test. This was going to suck.

However, once he got started it really wasn't so bad. He remembered more than he thought (a miracle in and of itself). Klaus had a passion for fashion when he was younger, and he'd always assumed he'd be a stylist or something of that ilk. However, the drugs happened and then there was that whole unhappy childhood that really wasn't helpful. Also, Sir Reginald probably would have eaten his monocle before letting Klaus do something as loathsome as be a fashion designer. 

Klaus remembered the fit that Sir Reggie had pitched when Allison left and went to Hollywood. That had been both memorable and terrifying. Klaus himself had been thrown out of the Academy shortly after. Drugs, of course. 

Once he'd finished filling everything out, he gave the stack of paper back to Dot. She, Phuong, and Schneider then split it up according to section and started going through it while Klaus sat there and waited. When they were finished, Dot smiled and said, "You're very knowledgeable."

"It's nothing," Klaus said, not sure how to handle the compliment. He got so few of them after all.

"I'm impressed, and I don't impress easy," Schneider said. "And I think you'd be a great fit in the Wardrobe department."

Phuong was still looking them over, and she muttered, "You managed to identify the different cheongsam through the decades of the 20th century. Not many Americans can do that."

Klaus shrugged. "I was super obsessed with this movie called _Farewell My Concubine_ when I was a kid. The ever-fabulous Gong Li wore dresses that looked like those so admittedly I kind of guessed." 

"Oh I love that movie," Phuong said with a small smile.

Klaus grinned in return. "It's beautiful, isn't it? So tragic but a great story. I should find a copy to show Dave." 

Phuong, Schneider, and Dot looked at each other. Dot then stood and held her hand out to Klaus. "Congratulations, Mr. Hargreeves. You've got the job."

Klaus jumped to his feet and shook her hand enthusiastically. "Awesome!"

"Come down to the shop tomorrow," said Schneider. "We'll go over the projects together and see what would suit you."

"I can knit," Klaus said.

"That's a good place to start." Schneider shook his hand and was grinning ear to ear. Phuong shook his hand too and offered him another small smile before they left the office. 

Dot had Klaus sit down and fill out the transfer paperwork. Once that was done, she said, "I hear congratulations are in order."

"Hm?" Klaus said, then snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah! I'm really excited."

"I think it would be good for both of you, I know Dave's been lonely since he came on board with us," said Dot. 

"I'm looking forward to it," said Klaus. "Oh, I should go get my stuff from the dorm."

"No need," Dot replied. "I've already notified Johnson of your relocation and your personal effects were delivered to Gadget's private quarters while we did the assessment." 

And wasn't that fast? Klaus figured it was probably best not to press his luck so he said, "Thanks again."

"Of course. If you have any questions or any other issues please come see me," said Dot.

Klaus left the office feeling… Amazing. Okay yeah, there was the weirdness this morning when apparently he'd gone to get breakfast without knowing he'd done so. And it was a little scary, no doubt about it. If Klaus didn't know any better he'd think that he was back on drugs again. But he was still clean, despite what anyone thought. 

Plus there was Dave. Sweet, amazing, very much the love of his life Dave who wanted Klaus to live with him. He might as well have proposed marriage. Klaus was thinking about doing so himself. He knew Dave was on shift so Klaus wouldn't be able to tell him the good news. Maybe tonight, and maybe Klaus could make Dave dinner. He was a little disappointed Dave had been too tired to cook yesterday. But Klaus wouldn't exactly be up for it either if he'd been kidnapped by Dave's family. 

"So, how'd it go?"

Klaus jumped. "Jesus Libby! You almost gave me a fucking heart attack."

"Sorry," she said. "How'd it go?"

"I got the job."

"Great! When do you start?"

"Tomorrow. Though…" He trailed off, looking at Libby, then at one of the many, many ghosts that had followed him back to the Commission. "I'm not sure how it's going to go with you guys hanging around."

To be honest, it was kind of freaking him out. It seemed like every job now there were at least four or five ghosts who came back with him. They didn't talk to him, they didn't really acknowledge him at all. And when he would try to speak with them or help them move on, they'd ignore him. Frankly, it was creeping Klaus out. 

Though, they seemed to be hesitant about entering some areas. He noticed they avoided the areas his siblings were in (which maybe that was Klaus's influence since he was on the outs with them again). They also avoided Dave's apartment, which again odd, not like Dave could see them. Fuck, none of the ghosts could be seen by anyone but Klaus. 

Libby had tried talking to some on his behalf, but it had failed spectacularly. They ignored her like they ignored him. 

"Well, maybe you can get some of the others to help you," Libby pointed out.

"I can't even get them to talk to me how can they help me?" Klaus then had an idea. "Do you know how to sew?"

She rolled her eyes. "I was a housewife in the 30s, what do you think?"

"I'm not assuming. You forget I'm queer as a three dollar bill and I'm not exactly awesome at interior decorating," he pointed out.

"Odd stereotype," Libby said. "Yeah, I know how to sew."

"Great, you're gonna teach me. Let's go grab some supplies."

They headed to the recreation area. The department stores didn't carry a lot of sewing supplies, but there was a craft store tucked in near the back somewhere. When they did find it, Klaus and Libby raided the sewing section. She told him which needles to get, which fabric to get for practice, and which threads would work for that fabric.

He didn't know they had company until he heard a throat clear. "Klaus?"

He looked up from the spools of thread to see Vanya standing just a few feet away. 

"What do you want?" Klaus asked, trying very hard not to sound annoyed, though he was. God was he ever. But they'd sent Vanya to talk to him. The one sibling that Klaus wouldn't dismiss out of hand or tell to go fuck herself. Because it was Vanya, the only person who'd had a worse time of their childhood than Klaus.

"I wanted to apologize," Vanya said.

Klaus sighed. "Who sent you? Was it Five?"

"No, I'm here on my own," she assured him. "The others don't know I'm here."

"What, am I persona non grata at Casa de Hargreeves?"

She shook her head. "No, it's… Can we talk? Please?" 

He debated on it, leaning towards no. Then Libby tugged on his sleeve and said, "Hear her out. She's been crying." 

Yes, he could see that. Her eyes were red and a bit puffy. She was wearing the same clothes from yesterday like she'd slept in them, or maybe hadn't slept at all. Her shoulders were tense, her hair was tangled, frankly, Vanya looked like hell. As mad as he was at his family, he couldn't stay mad at Vanya for long. 

"Let me take this stuff to the register," Klaus said, and he could see the relief wash through her. 

"Great, I'll meet you outside," Vanya replied, and she walked out of the store.

Klaus sighed and muttered, "You owe me," to Libby.

"I'm teaching you to sew today, I'd say we're even," Libby told him.

Klaus paid for the supplies and left the store with a moderately heavy sack. When he walked out it was to see Vanya sitting at a bench across from the store, and Klaus joined her there. "So?" He asked.

"I'm sorry," Vanya said. 

"That's it?" He asked incredulously. "You could have said that inside." 

"Let her talk," Libby scolded.

"I mean I'm really sorry," Vanya continued. "I can't even imagine how angry you must be. I know that when Allison tried to tell me the truth about Leonard I… I didn't listen. And I hurt her." 

Klaus was about to interrupt again, but Libby pinched his arm and shushed him. 

"And I can only imagine how it must feel that we thought so little of your boyfriend, we were sure that he was out to get us or out to get you. We were wrong. Dave's a good man," said Vanya. 

"I know he is," Klaus muttered.

"So, I want you to know, I'm sorry for suspecting him, and I'm sorry for hurting you," she concluded. 

Klaus rubbed at his face, unsure how to put this into words. So he stayed quiet while he gathered his thoughts. "Libs, you mind taking off for a bit while I talk to my sister?" He said over his shoulder.

"Okay, but don't fight," she said and vanished. 

He took out a cigarette and lit it, exhaling slowly. "Thank you, Vanya, for your apology. But that's not the only reason I'm mad at you guys." 

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, it's all… This," he gestured to their surroundings. "You guys ditched me, and then you came up with this stupid idea and left me out of it until you needed my help to pull it off. What would you have done if you didn't need me? Would you have left me here?" 

"No, never," said Vanya.

"I'm not as smart as you guys are or Ben was," he continued, suddenly unable to stop himself. "I'm stupid, unreliable, a real flake and a fuck up. That's all you'll ever see me as and maybe I deserve it. That doesn't mean I have to like it. And I'm not going to jump at the opportunity to do favors for a family that doesn't even like me let alone love me."

She frowned at him, her brow creasing with concern. "Klaus…" She trailed off, unable to think of something to say. 

"Dave doesn't see me that way, he never has. And I've shared with him way more of myself than I've ever done with any of you. The good times, and the bad. The really, really bad times. The 'you should probably break up with me because I have a trainload of emotional baggage' times. You know what though? He still believes I can be better, do better. Which is why I'm angry at all of you. It doesn't really have much to do with what you think of Dave, not anymore. 

"It's the assumptions you guys make about me, and by extension, him. Because I'm stupid old Klaus who's never made a good decision in his life so why would he start now? Dummy Klaus the Clown who can't take anything seriously and is going to die from a drug overdose someday. That is if he doesn't get shanked in prison first," Klaus told her. 

He smoked his cigarette and they sat in silence for several minutes. Vanya was watching him out of the corner of her eye, then she asked, "Can I bum one?"

He took out a cigarette and handed it to her with the lighter. Vanya jumped a little when his hand touched hers. Huh, so his hands were still pretty cold then. She lit her cigarette then gave them back. Klaus did feel a little better now. He'd told at least one of his siblings how he felt. Not all of it, that would take hours. But a little peek, maybe it was enough for some clarity and understanding. 

"You really went to prison?" She asked.

"A couple of times."

"I didn't know that. I knew about the first time, not that it was more than once."

"Kinda surprised since it was all over the news," he said. "The first time was anyway. After that, I think I was an occasional mention in the gossip columns when I'd get pinched again but that was all. Diego arrested me one time."

Vanya blinked. "He what?"

"When he was in the police academy," Klaus said. "He was doing that… You know where they have the newbies like, go out with the older cops so the old cops can show them how it's done?"

"A ride along?"

"Yeah, that. They were busting up a crack house I just so happened to be residing in. He cuffed me and tossed me in the paddy wagon same as the rest of them. I thought maybe he didn't recognize me," Klaus said. "Until I got out the next day. I wasn't holding because I'd already taken it all so no charges. He was waiting for me when I left and said he never wanted to see me again."

"What did you do?" Vanya asked.

Klaus shrugged. "Nothing." 

"You didn't try to get clean?"

"Wasn't worth it." 

"I wish you'd come to see me," she muttered. "I used to worry about you. I still do." 

Klaus groaned. "Great, here we go." He'd finished his cigarette by that time, and he dropped it on the ground and ground it out underfoot. He picked up the butt and tossed it in a trash can. 

"I didn't mean it like that," said Vanya. "Just… Here, come with me." Vanya put her cigarette out as well, then took Klaus's hand and pulled him to a nearby department store. There was a display of mirrors in the shop window, and she said, "Look at yourself. You look like shit. And your skin is like ice." 

And, yeah, okay, she had a point. He looked worse. His hair was almost completely white now, except for some brown hanging on at the ends. He was very pale, and the circles under his eyes looked more like bruises. His cheekbones were standing out more, Klaus had lost weight. Quite a bit of it, actually. 

"Are you ill?" Vanya asked.

Klaus shook his head. "No, actually I feel pretty great apart from tired." 

"That's not good, Klaus." 

"Maybe Dave's right," he said. "I need a vacation."

"Maybe," said Vanya. She took his hand and squeezed it. "I know we can't make up for it, the way we've treated you since we got here, and before that. I'm so sorry. Just… If you need help, promise me you'll call us."

He shook his head. "No, I can't do that." 

"Then at least call me, I promise I won't tell the others," she said.

Vanya was looking at him, imploring him with her big sad brown doe eyes. How could he say no to those eyes?

"Fine," he muttered. "I'll call you. But say anything to Five and the deal's over."

"Agreed," she replied, then hugged him. "Go take a nap, would you?"

"Sure, sounds good." 

They parted ways, and Klaus had a lot to think about. And the day had been great up until now. Because now, he just felt tired. Right down to his bones. Not to mention cold. 


	16. as days fade and nights grow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say this week. Still staying off social media on the weekends. Stay safe and mask up.

Life was good, for a few months anyway. Klaus didn't seem to be in a rush to forgive his siblings, and Dave wasn't going to push it. He reported to Dot and Herb that he thought the Numbers might be on to him, but his cover likely wasn't blown yet. When asked about the incident in France, Dave chalked it up to the family arranging things so they could do a job together. A bonding excursion. 

To be honest he was a little surprised they bought it. To make sure, he bugged Herb's office. He listened in for about a week, but most of what Herb dealt with was your usual ups and downs with running a time travel agency. Dave was secretly glad he didn't have that problem.

He kept up his surveillance on the Hargreeveses and did just as he'd promised. Whenever it looked like they were about to get caught, Dave would erase anything incriminating. They may have thought they were subtle but God help them, they weren't. Not after that night in France. There were a few goofs on Luther's part, in particular, that would have been quite suspicious if Dave hadn't caught them in time. 

Dave missed talking to them sometimes. Sure, he had Klaus, and they talked all the time. Still, it had been nice to have friends, even if they were weird super-powered siblings. Once or twice he'd crossed paths with Diego in the gym, and they sort of nodded to each other but that was about it. 

And Klaus was thriving in his new job. He may not have loved working, but he did love clothes and he was learning more all the time. Dave had even caught him reading a few books on fashion history from the library. One of the ghosts, Libby he thought, was teaching him how to sew. And Klaus was enjoying it. Sure he wasn't good at it, but he would be with practice. 

Dave should have expected it wouldn't last. 

One day, Klaus and Dave had lunch together. Klaus was telling a funny story about him and Phuong getting each other's fabrics, and how they'd nearly used them for the wrong projects. Dave was laughing hard as Klaus finished, "I think that Schneider was about to blow his top. He's getting pretty sick of us."

"I think it's great she's warmed up to you," Dave said. "Phuong doesn't seem to have a lot of friends."

"Do any of us?" Klaus asked.

"Well, Dot."

"It's kind of her job though isn't it?"

Dave shook his head. "Ask anyone who worked under the Handler. It isn't Dot's job to be friendly, she just is."

Klaus shuddered. "Ugh, the Handler. I'm glad that Swedish dude killed her."

"She probably wasn't going to last long anyway," Dave replied. "From what I understand most folks were pretty against her when she took over. It's a shame she took her daughter down with her."

Klaus blinked. "You know Lila?"

"Only by reputation," said Dave. "Supposedly she had great potential. If she didn't have the blinders on where her mother was concerned she might have gone far."

"Yeah, she was really talented. She almost killed Five and Allison," Klaus said.

"What? How?"

"Oh she can copy our powers," Klaus told him. "She used Allison's to tell her she stopped breathing. Five used his power up so much trying to stop her he couldn't jump so she was gonna shoot him. If it wasn't for Diego figuring out the Handler's the one who ordered Five to kill her parents we'd have been fucked."

"Jesus," Dave said softly. 

"Diego did her."

"Klaus!"

He cackled. "He did! They fucked, it's why she didn't kill him and wanted him to join her security team. I wonder what she's up to now."

"Who knows."

They'd finished lunch, so they left the cafeteria. Klaus kissed his cheek and said, "My turn to cook tonight."

"Any chance of just a regular meal this time?" Dave asked.

"Nope! Don't worry you won't complain too much about the next one," Klaus promised. "See you tonight."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

Dave went in the opposite direction, deciding he should check out the archives. Maybe there was some information on this Lila character he could use to his advantage. When he turned the corner, he was surprised by Five appearing. "We need to talk."

"No we don't," Dave said, pushing past him. 

"No, we do, it's important."

"Haven't we had this conversation?" Dave asked, pretending to think. "Oh yes, I remember now. After you kidnapped me." 

"You're still mad about that?" Five asked. 

"Damn skippy."

"Then why didn't you tell Herb about it?"

Dave sighed and kept walking. "Because if Herb knew my cover was blown he'd have assigned someone else to the case."

"Does he know you're covering for us?"

He stopped, looking at Five. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I've been watching you," Five said. "I've even had Luther leave some pretty obvious bread crumbs. And you come along and sweep them up like you're the maid. Gotta admit I figured once you turned against us you'd stop. But you haven't." 

Dave sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm not going to like this conversation, am I?"

"I doubt it. But we do need to talk. Without Klaus."

"Okay now I'm definitely not interested," said Dave and started walking again. 

"You should be," Five continued. "I don't mean you can't tell Klaus, I mean that you need to hear me out without his… Prejudice."

He rolled his eyes and nearly told Five to get lost. Until Five grabbed his hand and suddenly they weren't in the hallway anymore. They were in the Hargreeves family quarters. Dave recognized the "violently yellow" room, as Klaus had called it. 

"You need to learn to take no for an answer," Dave told him. 

"You're not leaving until you've heard us out."

"I'm not afraid to hit a kid, especially when that kid's an old man," he said.

Then Allison and Luther came into the room, and Luther said, "You try to leave, I'll knock you into next week."

"Then I guess I'm just going to have to radio for backup," he said, pushing his sleeve up to expose one of his cufflinks. Five made a move towards him, but Dave stepped back and added, "Don't, you smash it, an automatic distress signal gets sent to Dot's office."

"Told you this wouldn't work," Allison muttered. 

"Shut up," Five replied. "Are you going to help or not?"

"I'm not rumoring him. That didn't go so well last time in case you forgot," she snapped. 

Ah, so there was dissension in the ranks. Dave said, "You know what? I'll stay. But only if Allison tells me what the hell's going on."

"But--" Five started but she cut him off.

"Deal," Allison replied and glared at her brothers. Luther nodded. Five looked ready to argue, but Luther grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out of the room. 

Dave couldn't help himself, he laughed. "I wish I had a picture of that."

"It gets funnier the older Five gets," Allison admitted. She sat down and invited Dave to do the same. "I'm sorry about all this. I said we should invite you and Klaus to dinner but Five insisted on doing it this way."

"We probably wouldn't have come," Dave said.

"That's why he insisted." 

She was in uniform, and Dave asked, "Any interesting missions lately?" 

"Oh a few," she said. "You?"

"Still mostly keeping tabs on you guys."

"So Five said." Allison crossed her arms over her stomach. "How's Klaus?" 

"He's good, happy," said Dave. "He's starting to get some color back, but his hair is all white now."

"Vanya said he looked pretty sick the last time she saw him."

"Yeah, it's been a roller coaster. I was worried he might have cancer or something, but he had a check-up last week. Doc says he's okay. Looks like his body just needed to adjust to the meds. His appetite's good and he's sleeping through the night. No more ghosts waking him up or hurting him," Dave told her. 

Allison nodded. "I'm glad. And how are you two doing?"

He couldn't suppress a smile. "Great. He's a bit messy but I don't mind. He says I need to get out of the military mindset and embrace the chaos."

She laughed. "That sounds like Klaus all right. He didn't tidy up much when we were kids, either. He actually wouldn't let Grace go in his room because she'd clean and then he couldn't find anything." 

"Which is exactly what he tells me whenever I pick up," said Dave, then imitated Klaus. "Noooo Dave, where are my socks?! Why did you put them in the hamper?! They weren't all dirty! These ones have at least two more rides in them before I have to wash them." 

"The more things change," Allison said wistfully, then sighed again. "We need to bring you and Klaus up to speed." 

"Did you find the equation?" 

She shook her head. "No, Five's still looking for it but he might be close. Which we're hoping for sooner rather than later."

"I don't understand," Dave said. "Why not just serve out your contract and retire? Is working for the Commission that bad?"

"It's not the work," Allison replied, pausing for a moment to think. "It's… You're aware of why we're here, aren't you?"

"Yes, because of the Sparrow Academy." 

"Did you know they're still looking for us?" 

Dave shook his head. "No, I didn't."

"Well, they are. They are us, Dave. They can think like us and they know we're here. Every second we remain, we're putting this place and everyone in it in danger," said Allison.

"I'm sure the Commission has security and protocols in place," Dave countered. "To keep everyone safe." 

"They do, but it's taxing their resources and they might not have a choice but to turn us over," Allison said. 

"How is it taxing their resources?"

Allison got up and went to a desk in the corner, coming back with a rather thick file. She handed it to Dave and said, "Here."

He opened it and saw several pictures. People dressed in school uniforms, and a floating cube. "What the hell?" 

"Sir Reginald didn't just get us when the spontaneous births happened," Allison said. "We've since learned he actually got all forty-three children, not just seven. While it's true he only adopted our alternate selves, he billed the Sparrow Academy as a school for special students, sending scholarships to those he knew had powers like us. Unfortunately, he keeps the rest of them pretty hush hush so while we have some information on their abilities we don't know who they are or even what they look like."

"Holy shit," Dave whispered.

"Then once the children were in his care, he'd often trick their parents into signing over custody. Others gave their children over willingly, unable to handle their powers. Most of them never saw their kids again." 

"What's he doing to them?" 

"He doesn't… Hurt them, per se. But Reginald does break them down and mold them how he likes. He runs it like a military school and a cult. It's what Klaus told us when his alternate self tried to possess him. He controls every aspect of their lives. And most of them are so grateful to finally be able to control their powers they don't question it. They don't live, Dave. And they're all looking for us." 

"Like he's got his own private army," he concluded.

Allison nodded gravely. "Exactly. And while the Commission has been able to hold them off so far, they won't be able to forever."

Dave sighed, rubbing at his forehead. He was getting a headache. "So your solution is to break your contract which will definitely get you all killed?"

"It's better than getting everyone else here killed," Allison argued. "That's why they're closing off the timelines. It's not just to save resources it's so the Sparrows don't end up accidentally destroying time as we know it while they hunt for us." 

"Why are they doing this?" Dave asked. 

"Because Sir Reginald has convinced them we're the cause of the apocalypse and the only way to stop it is with our death," she said. "And that does include Klaus. If he stays here, he won't be safe. If he's in the new timeline with us he has a chance to survive."

"We can keep him safe," Dave replied. 

"Against that? Read the file, see what the Commission is up against, then tell me again whether or not you can keep Klaus safe." 

Dave stood, file in hand, and said, "I'll think about it."

She didn't argue, which Dave was grateful for. He wasn't making any promises and she wasn't trying to force him to. She stood as well and said, "Thanks for agreeing to hear me out, at least."

"Tell Five to stop kidnapping me. Next time I won't." 

"You've got it." 

He left and headed back to his own apartment, already formulating an excuse in his head. He'd tell Herb that the siblings were talking to him, trying to rebuild the connection between Dave and Klaus. Which was exactly what was happening. Klaus wouldn't listen to them but if they tried to make him he'd kick up a fuss and shut them out. 

When Dave got home he sat down at the kitchen table and began going through the file. It wasn't official, more like something the Hargreeveses had put together themselves. When they had time to do all of this, Dave didn't know. But there was a hell of a lot of intel, and as he read his heart sank.

Allison wasn't joking. The power these people had wasn't just formidable, it was terrifying. And it was causing issues for the Commission, as apparently, the Sparrow Academy had been trying to bring down their shields pretty much since the Numbers arrived. R&D was constantly updating it so they wouldn't get in. Which would explain a few things, but that Dave was only hearing of this now was mind-blowing.

It didn't appear as though the Sparrow Academy was particularly interested in the Commission itself. There were a few encounters between the Sparrow Academy and Correctors like Dave. They never tried to stop them or capture them to get information. As a matter of fact, they even helped on a few occasions. Dave made a mental note to go find the Commission's file on the Sparrow Academy and see what it said.

At the end of the file was a picture that made Dave's heart freeze. It was Klaus or at least the Sparrow Academy version of Klaus. He was transparent and glowing blue, and Dave knew what that meant. He was dead, a ghost. And yet he was still part of the Academy. 

They hadn't talked about it much. While Dave was aware of Klaus's evil twin, he'd never seen him before. And after this, Dave hoped he'd never see him again. His hair was short, he was still wearing the uniform even in death. There were no tattoos, no black painted toenails, and most importantly no smile. 

Even when Klaus was feeling low, he would still smile. He was a ridiculous man, and Dave loved him dearly for it. This Klaus… Turned Dave's stomach. 

The rest of the file pretty much confirmed what Allison had already told him. These people were dangerous, and they were coming for the Numbers, sooner or later. 

Dave sighed. There was no getting around it. He and Klaus would have to have a talk. 

* * *

Sometimes Klaus wondered why he ever let himself think that things would stay good. His entire life up to that point was proof that any time he was happy it wasn't going to last. Or if it did there was something really, really wrong, like the worst possible Catch 22.   
  
He was happy. The happiest he'd ever been.  
  
He and Dave were living together, Klaus didn't have to haul around bodies anymore, and best of all he actually got along great with Schneider and Phuong. It turned out she was a little prickly upon first meeting folks as her initial start-up at the Commission was not awesome. What a shock that a company that based so much of their shit on the 50s Cold War aesthetic were like, super racist and sexist.   
  
Her coming from 1960s Vietnam probably didn't help a lot. Some folks thought that if you came from any time before the 80s you probably wouldn't last at the Commission. Which was stupid since Phuong was pretty clever and resourceful.   
  
"I'm sorry," Klaus said when she'd disclosed to him  
.  
"Why?" She asked.  
  
"Uh... I kinda fought in the Vietnam War. It's where I met Dave," he replied.  
  
Phuong sighed. "Please tell me you didn't volunteer."  
  
"Nope. Stole a briefcase from some Commission agents who were holding me hostage. I thought there was money or something in it so I opened it. Then when I found myself in fucking Vietnam I about bailed. Then I met Dave and... Yeah."  
  
Phuong stared at him for a moment, then laughed. "You're kidding, right?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"You fought in that utter nightmare of a war because you met a guy? I thought you were smart."  
  
"I am the least smart person you will ever meet," Klaus replied.  
  
"Now that's not true," Libby chimed in. "You're smart about some things."  
  
"Yeah but not important stuff like how to balance a checkbook," he said to her.  
  
Phuong and Schneider were both used to Klaus talking to Libby. None of the other ghosts would acknowledge him which was creeping him out. Sometimes they'd stare at him as though waiting for instructions. Then when Klaus would say something they would shake their heads and leave. Fucking bizarre.   
  
Anyway, he was having a great time in Wardrobe. One, Klaus already knew a lot about clothes. Two, what Libby couldn't show him, Schneider took great delight in teaching Klaus. At one point he said, "I think you would have made a magnificent tailor."  
  
"I doubt it," he replied. "I don't focus so good."  
  
"You seemed to focus just fine yesterday on that spangled jumpsuit."  
  
"That was different, it was 70s glam rock couture. David Bowie himself would have been losing his mind over that jumpsuit."  
  
"It sounds more to me like you simply need to be interested in the project and then your mind doesn't wander," Schneider pointed out.   
  
And yeah, maybe he was right. He hadn't gotten any complaints so far. Okay one, but that was from a guy who didn't like how itchy his outfit was. He was posing as a peasant on a farm in 1300s rural Austria, what the hell did he expect?   
  
He liked Schneider too. He was an old German queen that Klaus wanted to be if he ever reached his seventies. Like Herb, Schneider was on the small side, like, really small. Like, probably could play one of Santa's elves kind of small.   
  
Despite what he said when Klaus first signed on, he actually loved to teach. When they weren't on a rush order (which was starting to happen more and more often as word of the department's work spread), he would teach Klaus and Phuong all he knew about fabrics, fashion history, and sewing. And he knew a lot.   
  
"I was a docent," Schneider explained when Klaus asked about it.  
  
"A docent where? The Queer Fashion Museum?"  
  
"That's not a thing."  
  
"It will be someday. Imagine it, some fancy building all in rainbow colors of the best and most flamboyant outfits ever worn by anyone queer. Elton John would have his own exhibit."  
  
Schneider laughed. "He'd need his own separate museum."   
  
"True. So where were you a docent?"  
  
"The Fashion and Textile Museum in London," he said. "It was a lovely job."  
  
"Then why're you here?"  
  
"For the same reason as Phuong and your young man," he replied. "I was supposed to die and I didn't, so they offered me a job."   
  
Klaus pursed his lips. "I thought they just did that with the Correctors since my sister wiped them out."  
  
"Their department wasn't the only one affected by the Handler's coup," said Schneider.   
  
"I see."  
  
It was those little conversations that made Klaus feel like he was doing something right with the Commission. He didn't feel he had to perform or make people laugh, or throw them off the trail. He could speak with his coworkers the same way he talked to Dave. Just like ordinary folks.   
  
That day had been particularly trying. Four agents were going to Russia in full Imperial Court costume and it had been a real bitch to get everything together in time. Klaus liked the Romanovs from a distance, he did not like having to dress people for their stupidly expensive parties.  
  
Especially when he spent most of the day hand sewing tiny pearls on a fucking hat. He'd stabbed himself more than once because he still hadn't figured out how to use a thimble. The little thing that was supposed to save him from stabbing himself also made it so he couldn't grip the fabric of the hat very well. It was kind of worth it though, to see the looks on the agents' faces when they got dressed.   
  
Klaus got home after nine, calling, "Dave, I'm home. Sorry, I'm late we had to get those stupid court costumes finished." He headed straight to the kitchen so he could start dinner. When he saw Dave at the kitchen table he smiled until he saw what he was looking at. "What's all this?" Klaus asked.  
  
"Your sister gave it to me," Dave replied. "Said these are the people that are after you."   
  
Dave held out a picture for him to see, and Klaus shivered.   
  
"Ah yes, my evil twin. You know out of the two of us he should probably have the goatee, not me. Unless I'm the evil twin. In which case... I'm kind of not great at being evil, am I?"  
  
"You would definitely be terrible at evil in my opinion," Dave affirmed.   
  
"So who's meddling this time? Since you said sister I'm guessing Allison." Klaus maneuvered around Dave so he could get to the fridge.   
  
"Good guess. Do you know why she's contacted me?"  
  
"Lost a bet?"   
  
"She's worried that you're in danger if you stay here."   
  
Klaus had to bite back a sigh. He grabbed some veggies out of the fridge and closed the door, taking them to the sink to be washed. "She's overreacting," he muttered.   
  
"What makes you say that?" Dave asked.  
  
Klaus didn't answer for a moment or two, trying to get some gross looking crap off the celery. Once he'd finished washing up he transferred the veggies to the cutting board. He'd placed it on the breakfast bar and got to work chopping, not looking at Dave.   
  
This tactic however didn't work, because Dave didn't seem to be in the mood for Klaus dodging. Which yes, Klaus did that, a lot. But he didn't want to talk to or think about his siblings ever again. At least if he could help it.   
  
Dave circled around the bar and said, "Klaus, come on, we need to talk about this."  
  
"There's nothing to talk about," he replied. "They're all paranoid. Yeah, the Sparrows aren't friendly to us but that's hardly a shock."  
He'd finished cutting up the celery and started on the mushrooms.   
  
Dave however reached out and took the knife from him. "Forget that for a few minutes, let's talk."  
  
"Do we have to?" Klaus asked, voice small. "Things are good now, I don't want to talk about anything."  
  
But Dave wasn't being dissuaded. He tugged Klaus to the kitchen table and had him sit down. He then pushed the files over to him and said, "They're trying to break into the Commission. Allison says that if you stay here, they'll come after you."  
  
"How does she know?" Klaus muttered.  
  
"They've been doing recon. Read it, please."  
  
Klaus sighed and picked up the papers, looking them over.   
  
His siblings had been busy when Klaus was on corpse duty. They'd taken turns gathering intelligence on the Sparrows and what that meant for this timeline. Checking the Commission files as well as sneaking out to spy on the Sparrow Academy. Which, okay weird. He hadn't known there were so many of them. When the ghostly version of himself had tried to possess him, he hadn't seen any of that.   
  
It did look like they were doing their damn hardest to get into the Commission. He could see tapped phone conversations between Reggie and some doctor that Klaus had never heard of. She kind of looked like Mom. Which, terrifying. Very creepy.   
  
"Wait Mom was based on a real person?" Klaus said aloud.  
  
"Excuse me?" Dave said.  
  
"Don't worry about it." Klaus passed the papers back to Dave. "This doesn't have anything to do with me."  
  
"It does if they break in here to kill you and I'm not here to protect you," Dave countered.  
  
"And I'd be so much better protected in the other 2019?" Klaus asked bitterly. "It would be like when we started at the Commission all over again. Sure they'll stick around for a little while. But once I make one slip or say something stupid, that's it, they'll be gone."  
  
"But if you're safer there--" Dave started.  
  
"There's nothing for me in that world!" Klaus insisted. Then he had a thought, and he looked at Dave. "Wait, you."  
  
"Me what?" Dave asked.  
  
"You could come with me!" Said Klaus with a smile. "I mean if I have to go back anyway why not take the best thing that's ever happened to me?"   
  
He was blushing, but he also looked ashamed. Dave rubbed the back of his neck and said, "I can't do that, Klaus."  
  
"Sure you can, you--" But Dave cut him off.  
  
"I'm in that world."  
  
Klaus paused, frowning. "What do you mean?"  
  
Dave flipped to the back of the file and handed Klaus a piece of paper that had a photo attached to it. In the picture, an old man was pushing a walker, and a sweet looking teenager helping him. "That's me," said Dave.  
  
"So what?"  
  
"He or I should say I, live close to the Academy. It would create a paradox."  
  
"Then we'll leave. Once we get there I'll get my things and we can find our own place. In Paris, or Reykjavik or something."  
  
"It doesn't work that way," said Dave. "Even if we weren't in close proximity, existing in the same time stream as myself is too much of a risk. Besides, I can't break my contract with the Commission. They'll come after me, and you."   
  
Klaus shrugged. "Fine, then I won't go."   
  
"Klaus," Dave groaned, with tired annoyance.  
  
"No, I mean it. I won't go and no one can make me. Not you, not my family. I'm staying," he said.   
  
"I know why you're upset with them, I get it. But I don't want you to get killed because of me," said Dave.   
  
"Who says I would? The Sparrow Academy's been kept out of here so far. Who's to say that they'll ever get in? Unless..." Klaus trailed off, unsure that he wanted to finish the thought. It was a stupid and paranoid suspicion, and he knew it wasn't true. Just a byproduct of his months alone.  
  
"What?" Dave asked.  
  
"Are... You're not trying to get rid of me, are you?"   
  
Dave's jaw dropped. "No! Never!"  
  
And right on cue, Klaus started to cry. "Then why..."  
  
Dave got out of his chair and knelt by Klaus, taking hold of his hands. "Klaus, I love you. I love you so much it scares me because if anything happened to you I don't think I could go on. I don't want you to leave, but I couldn't live with myself if you had a chance to be safe and gave it up because of me."   
  
"But you're asking me to give you up. After all this time, everything I did, in the hopes I could save you. Please don't make me leave," Klaus said.   
  
Dave was about to speak when all the lights in the apartment turned red and started flashing. An alarm sounded, and a cool female voice said, "Please remain in your quarters. If you have firearms, please retrieve them now."  
  
"What the hell?" Klaus asked.  
  
Dave grabbed the file, shoved the papers in it, and crammed it into the kitchen cabinet. He then ran to their bedroom and came back with two pistols, handing one to Klaus. "It's a lockdown. There's been a security breach."   
  
"I wouldn't call it a breach so much as an experiment."  
  
Klaus felt his hair standing up on end and he turned to see his ghostly self in the living room.   
  
"Hello," he said in a dull voice.   
  
"How did you get in here?" Dave asked, aiming his gun at the ghost.  
  
"How do you think? Shouldn't you put your little toy away? You can't shoot a ghost," he replied.   
  
Klaus sighed. "What do you want?"   
  
"This is just a test," said Ghost Klaus.   
  
"Test of what?"  
  
"To see if I can get in where my colleagues can't. And yes, I can, but clearly not without consequences," Ghost Klaus observed.   
  
"Great, you can leave any time," said Klaus.  
  
Ghost Klaus tilted his head to the side, and his gaze sent chills down Klaus's spine. "You don't look well."  
  
"At least I still have a body."  
  
"Apt observation. Childish but apt." He then looked at Dave. "So you're the soldier. It's funny. When I merged with my counterpart I saw you but you looked… Different."  
  
"Don't talk to him," Klaus hissed.   
  
"Oh? And how would you stop me? I'm not you, I don't have the same silly sentimental yearning. I could do whatever I please to him."   
  
It sent a chill down Klaus's spine and a spark of rage. He didn't think, he reacted. He reached out with his powers, summoning every ghost in the place, including Libby. He commanded them to seize his ghostly counterpart. The problem was Ghost Klaus had the same power that he did.   
  
"Really?" He asked. "You can't even see it can you?"  
  
"See what?" Klaus asked.  
  
Ghost Klaus was about to answer, but then Libby clawed him across the face.  
  
"You leave him alone!" She yelled.   
  
"I see this one is still linked to you. I can fix that," said Ghost Klaus.  
  
His hand shot out, covering Libby's face. He closed his eyes for a second, and between one breath and the next, she was gone. He couldn't feel her in his head anymore. She hadn't vanished or gone to another part of the building. Libby was _gone_. Just like Ben.   
  
"What did you do?!" Klaus screamed.  
  
"I sent her on to the afterlife. Which you should do with these troublesome spirits you've surrounded yourself with. Otherwise she--"   
  
The lights went back on. The doors opened, and agents were pouring into the room. Ghost Klaus sighed and said, "I suppose my time is up. Good evening." And he vanished.   
  
Klaus shivered. That wasn't good, not at all. Dave wrapped his arms around him, and Klaus closed his eyes. It would be okay. Dave was here, everything would work out so long as he stayed with Dave. 

As much as he said it, Klaus couldn't make himself believe it. His best friend was gone. The Sparrow Academy was coming. The life he'd built at the Commission was coming to an end. 

And he wouldn't be able to stop it. 


	17. and we grow cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It gets pretty dark in this chapter, just to warn you. I promise it will get better though in the following chapters. Stay safe and mask up.

Dave knew what he had to do. 

He hated it. And he knew he should have talked to Klaus first. The problem was, Klaus wasn't saying much these days. Since his double had shown up and… Removed Libby, Klaus seemed to be spiraling. He wasn't eating but he was sleeping. A little too much, as a matter of fact, to the point it terrified Dave. 

He brought it up with Dr. Nix, who advised Dave, "He's depressed. Give him time."

When he spoke with Schneider, fearing it would affect Klaus's job, he said, "He can take all the time he needs. We're closed anyway. And we're all still a bit spooked after what happened." 

Dave got the impression that Schneider and Phuong didn't want Klaus around anymore. Not after seeing his true power. 

See, when Klaus had called the ghosts to help, he'd called them from everywhere in the Commission. Sure, they hadn't attacked the Other Klaus, but they scared the dickens out of everyone. It was a good thing Klaus hadn't left their quarters because people were afraid to be near him. Some even thought that Klaus should be removed from the Commission. While Dave had heard the rumors no one had the guts to say it to him or Klaus directly.

Dave had a greater concern. He was worried that Klaus might backslide. Start drinking or God forbid doing drugs again. Instead, he was a shell. The only noticeable difference was he always wanted to know where Dave is. Like Dave could fix this and make everything okay again. This was complicated by his siblings showing up twenty minutes after the Other Klaus had gone. 

Dave had given his statement to security, Klaus not saying anything. He sat on the ground in the living room, staring at where Libby had been. Then the door opened and Vanya and Diego entered the apartment. 

Klaus looked up at them briefly, then turned away from his siblings. He wouldn't look at them, talk to them, or acknowledge them in any way. Dave was reminded of trying to get a stubborn baby to eat strained carrots. It didn't stop Vanya from throwing her arms around Klaus and hugging him, but his shell shock had scared her.

Diego took Dave aside and asked, "What happened?"

Without hesitation, Dave explained. He told Diego everything that had occurred, including Libby's demise.

"He killed her?" Diego asked, surprised. 

"He said he moved her on," Dave replied. "I think that means he did to her what Klaus has been doing to the other ghosts around here."

"Not all of them," Diego muttered.

Indeed, there were still several specters hanging around. Dave got the impression that Klaus wasn't keeping them visible on purpose. 

"I think he's lost control of his powers," Dave said.

"He never had control of them," Diego pointed out.

"You know what I mean," he countered. "Klaus isn't as adept at using his abilities as you, but normally we don't have ghosts wandering around like this place is the Haunted Mansion."

Diego raised an eyebrow. "You went to Disneyland?"

"Once in the late 80s on an assignment. Didn't like the ride much."

"Why?"

"There was a four-year-old girl in the car next to mine, she was dragged on by her mother. She was crying that she didn't want to go because she was afraid the ghosts on the ride were real. But her mother didn't listen. You can't really enjoy the experience when a child is screaming her little lungs out because the ghosts are going to kill her." 

"Makes sense."

Vanya and Diego left afterward, Vanya begging Klaus to come to breakfast with them the next day. 

Dave hoped they could make that appointment, but it wasn't possible. Klaus didn't even get out of bed, except to use the restroom. Dave attempted to get him to eat, even making his favorite soup and bringing a tray to him. Klaus wouldn't take a sip. He did however cling to Dave and beg him not to leave him alone. 

After about a week, Dave was called to Dot's office. He'd slipped out when Klaus fell asleep and explained as soon as he got there, "I can't stay long. Klaus is… I don't know."

"We're aware," Dot said dryly, gesturing to a ghost that was browsing through the books in her office. 

"Yeah," he sighed. 

"What's the matter with him?" 

Dave ran a hand through his hair. "He's had a lot on his mind," he said. "His ghost self coming to kill him really didn't help things."

Dot hummed. "Perhaps he should see Dr. Bradford."

"The shrink?" He asked.

"Yes, I think she might be able to help him," said Dot. 

"I'll ask him, but I'm not going to force him to go if he doesn't want to," said Dave.

"That's understandable. Have you made any progress on the other Hargreeveses?"

He shook his head. "I know I'm close, but I'm not quite there yet. Klaus told me about their alternate selves after the incident and it's been a lot to take in. They've closed ranks." 

"What about Klaus? Have they included him at all?"

"No. They're trying to but he's retreated into himself. The only time there's a reaction out of him is when he wakes up and I'm not in the room anymore," Dave said. "Then he gets upset and won't calm down until I talk to him."

"That's disturbing."

"You said it." 

Dot sighed. "Is there anything that might get you inside?"

He had an idea. He wasn't sure it would work, but it was worth a shot. "I know that Five is looking for some math problem."

She frowned. "Math problem?"

"He says there's some mathematical formula they used to plug into the briefcases. He's desperate to find it, not sure why," said Dave. "Maybe if I could get my hands on it, I'd be able to earn their trust enough to bust the whole thing wide open."

A ghost wandered past, muttering to himself about molasses before walking through the wall beside Dot. She was staring at Dave, sizing him up. She may not have been as ruthless as the Handler, but Dot was not a stupid woman. It was a gambit, but Dave was flat out of ideas and was willing to try anything. 

She got up from her chair and walked to the far end of the bookcase. Dot pulled down a powder blue book and opened it, taking a slip of paper out from the center. She put the book back, then walked over to Dave and gave him the paper.

A complicated looking mathematical formula was written on it, and she said, "The secret to time travel. You understand I'm placing a lot of trust in you. You're certain this will get you the information you need?"

"Yes, I wouldn't ask otherwise," he said.

"Fine. Give it to Five and report back as soon as you do."

"Yes ma'am."

Dave slipped the paper into his pocket and left the office. Guilt was pricking at him as he returned to the apartment. Klaus wouldn't understand. There was no way to know for sure he'd even agree. But he couldn't stay here, not where that soulless monster of a doppelganger could get to him whenever he pleased. 

He went back to their apartment first. Klaus was still asleep, and he looked almost peaceful. Dave frowned however when he realized that Klaus had shaved his goatee off. 

"When the hell did you do that?" Dave wondered aloud. 

Klaus didn't stir. Dave saw the pills were on the bedside table, and for a moment he panicked. Dave snatched up the bottle and opened it, counting the pills inside. Something he'd been doing every day since Libby's departure. He'd only taken one. Which meant Klaus would be asleep for some time. 

Dave leaned over him, brushing his hair back from his face and saying, "I love you. I hope you can forgive me." He kissed Klaus's forehead and left the apartment again.

Ghosts were still wandering the halls, most of them not registering the environment around them. It reminded Dave a little of Klaus. Sleepwalking through life. Due to the infestation (and that no one could figure out how to make Klaus stop an involuntary action) all employees were on furlough until further notice. Dave wouldn't have to worry about tracking the Numbers down. 

He knocked on their door, and when Five opened it Dave said, "We need to talk."

Five didn't argue, pushing the door open and gesturing for Dave to come in. 

The rest of the Numbers were in the dining room, having lunch. When they saw Dave, they were clearly surprised.

"What brings you here?" Five asked. 

Dave dug the paper out of his pocket and gave it to Five. 

His eyes scanned the formula, and he looked up at Dave. "Why?"

"He's not safe here," Dave admitted. It hurt to say, but it was the truth. "I've heard a rumor the ghosts are complicating things and they might throw Klaus out of the Commission altogether. I don't want him hurt. That… Thing, I know it was Klaus. What he might have become. I never want to see Klaus with dead eyes like those." 

"You know you can't come with us," Luther said.

Dave nodded. "I know. He asked me to and I told him why I couldn't. He didn't take it well."

"Where is he now?" Allison asked.

"Our place. He took a pill and he's passed out," Dave said. "Should give us enough time to engineer your escape. We need to make it look good."

"Good how?" Diego asked.

"Like I tried to stop you. I'm not ashamed to say I'd like to live through this," he replied. 

The siblings looked at each other, and Five said, "Okay, let's get started." 

They sat down and planned it out. Five and Vanya would of course be the ones to handle the actual jump. Allison and Luther would take care of anyone who interfered (nonlethal only), and Diego would take care of Klaus. 

"I feel like I'm getting the easy job," Diego said.

"You're not," said Dave. "He's…"

They looked at him. "He's what?" Vanya asked.

"Different."

"He's always been--" Luther started but Dave interrupted.

"Not in that way. I mean he's not himself. It's like the lights are on but no one's home. The only time he shows any emotion is when he can't find me," Dave said.

"He's bonded with you," Five observed.

"Tends to happen when people are in love." 

Once they'd finished the plan, Dave went back to the apartment. Klaus was still out cold, so he crawled into bed and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. He wished he had a camera or any skill at drawing. He didn't have any photos of Klaus, now that he thought about it. He'd always taken for granted that Klaus would be there, and they'd have a life together after the Commission.

"It's just not in the cards," he said aloud and kissed Klaus's cheek. "I love you."

Klaus groaned, then murmured something Dave couldn't hear. After a few minutes, his eyes cracked open. "Hello," he whispered.

"Good evening," Dave replied.

Klaus tilted his head and looked at the clock. "Is it?"

"It is." 

"Lost track of time." 

Klaus's voice sounded different. More aware than he'd been, and Dave breathed a sigh of relief. Klaus nuzzled him, curling up close to him. Dave stroked his hair, then said, "Can you make the ghosts go away?"

"Huh?"

Dave blinked. Did he not remember? "The ghosts? The ones you summoned? Can you make them go away? People are getting a bit weirded out about the ghosts being everywhere."

"They're still around?" Klaus asked.

"Yeah. Come on."

He pulled a robe on, then grabbed one for Klaus as well. Once they were somewhat dressed, Dave took Klaus into the living room. 

There were still about ten ghosts milling about, completely ignoring them. Klaus stared, then his hands lit up with the same blue glow of the ghosts. 

Nothing.

He tried again.

Still nothing. 

"What's going on?" Klaus asked himself.

"I'm not sure, but maybe you should see Dr. Bradford," said Dave.

Klaus frowned. "Dr. Who?" 

"Dr. Bradford, she's our staff psychiatrist," he said. 

He shook his head. "No way, I'm not crazy."

"I didn't say you were," Dave assured him. "But this is worrying me, Klaus." 

"You should try it from my end," he muttered. 

"I have no doubt you're scared. But they're everywhere," said Dave. 

"I can do this," Klaus said. "I'm just tired."

"You were asleep most of the day," Dave argued.

"I'm fine!" Klaus yelled. 

"You're not! I don't know what's going on with you but you're not fine!" 

Klaus didn't reply, he turned around and went to the bedroom, slamming the door. Dave went after and tried to open it, but Klaus had locked the door.

"Klaus?" 

No answer. 

"Klaus we need to talk. Please open the door?" 

Still no answer. 

"I'm serious! Open the damn door! We need to have this out now while we still can!" 

He could hear Klaus moving around in there, but he wasn't coming to the door or responding. Dave sighed and rubbed at his face. He then saw what time it was and realized he had to get going. "I've got to go to work," he said, then, feeling foolish, kissed the door. "I love you." 

One of Dave's suits was in the living room, he'd fetched it from the dry cleaners early that morning. Once he was dressed and had his shoes on, he headed for Herb's office. He had to make this convincing or they were all dead meat. As he left the apartment, he passed Five on the way to the elevator, and he muttered, "He's in the bedroom." And Five vanished. 

Dave felt like this was the longest walk of his life. He knew when he reached his destination, everything was up for grabs. He gulped and took a deep breath. He had to keep it together. This was for Klaus, and to a lesser extent, his siblings.

He knocked, and Herb called, "Yes?"

Dave opened the door and asked, "You got a minute, Director?" 

"Of course." 

He let himself in and closed the door after, "I know what they're up to."

Herb stared for a moment, then hit the intercom. "Dot, would you join us please?" 

They didn't talk while they waited, and when Dot arrived she closed and locked the office door. "The formula worked?" Dot asked.

Dave nodded. "Yes, I was able to use it to further tail them. They're planning to jump to another timeline, one that doesn't have the Sparrow Academy or the apocalypse." 

"Did they say why?" Herb asked.

"Didn't have to, I figured it out," said Dave. "It's why Klaus has been…" He didn't have to pretend to be upset. He was barely holding it together. "It was a contingency plan, in case any of the Sparrow Academy were able to infiltrate the Commission. Seems they've been trying to for some time now." 

"Yes, it's been a problem," Dot admitted. "They're quite persistent."

"The Numbers are under the impression the Sparrow Academy will stop at nothing to kill them. And that would include killing all of us. So they're trying to jump to that timeline," said Dave. 

Herb and Dot exchanged glances. Herb then sighed. "We are working on closing the timelines. Perhaps it would be best to allow the Hargreeveses to escape before we seal that particular one." 

"You're just going to let them go?" Dave asked, surprised.

"There's a logic to it," Dot replied. 

"And I'm guessing the reason Five didn't tell us is because he doesn't trust us, or our security," Herb added. 

"That's the impression I got," said Dave.

It wasn't though, he was pretty certain it was because Five thought the Commission would have them all executed. 

"What about you?" Asked Dot.

"I have another year on my contract," Dave reminded her. "And besides, I've looked at the timeline they're jumping to. I exist there."

She gave him a pitying look. "I'm sorry, Dave."

"Me, too." 

They all jumped when an alarm sounded.

"What the hell?" Herb exclaimed. 

"The Infinite Switchboard!" Dave said, recognizing the sound. He jumped up and dashed out of the room, Dot and Herb on his heels. 

They threw open the door to the Infinite Switchboard. Every screen was lit up and showing something that chilled Dave to his bones. 

Klaus, in the center of the briefcase bay, hovering off the ground, bathed in blue light.

"Oh that's not good," said Herb. 

* * *

Ever since that awful night, Klaus had been drifting. Not on purpose, he just couldn't seem to get a grip. And he didn't tell Dave, but he was waking up in weird places and it was scaring the shit out of him. Dave thankfully didn't notice. Klaus knew he was being a handful, clingy and desperate. But how did you tell the man you loved you're afraid of your own mind?

Klaus had seen more than one movie or TV show with the premise. Hell, Allison had even been in a movie about it. He and Ben had snuck into the theater to watch and afterward had talked about it for hours. Klaus was as high as the international space station, but he remembered it clearly. There were lots of names for the disorder, and Klaus was terrified that's what was wrong with him.

Maybe the trauma had been too much. Maybe he shouldn't have moved Scarlet and Cal on so quickly. And maybe if he hadn't had such an awful fucking childhood… 

He was afraid to tell anyone what he suspected. He might have dissociative identity disorder. Like, yeah, Klaus would dissociate. He'd dissociate like a fucking champ. PTSD and all that shit. Now it felt like there was something more to it, and the feeling had been getting worse over the months. 

Then Klaus heard a conversation when his body was still asleep but his brain was awake. It kind of sounded like his voice, kind of. More like he was imitating someone.

"It's gotten so we don't need the medication anymore. I have almost complete control."

"That's good, means you don't have to worry about any interference." 

"Precisely. Let's go over it again. The changes to the switchboard?"

"All set."

"What about the shields?"

"You say the word, we crash them harder than the 1929 stock market."

"Great. And Herb and Dot?"

"Once you get the ghosts going we'll have Ryan or Ryan grab them."

Wait, was that Johnson's voice? What were he and the Ryans up to?

The conversation ground to a halt.

"I think he's waking up," Johnson said.

"So it would appear. Wait for my signal." 

Klaus opened his eyes. Johnson was standing over him. 

"Hargreeves, what the hell are you doing here?" He asked.

Klaus blinked a few times, looking around. He was back in his old room in the dorm.

"Uh… What are you doing here?" He asked dumbly, unable to come up with anything else. 

"I live here. What, you and the mister have a fight or something?" 

"No, no we're fine. I think I was sleepwalking," he muttered. 

"C'mon, I'll take you back to your place."

"Don't bother."

Klaus got up and left. He glanced over his shoulder as he did. Why was Johnson staring at him like that? It was as though they shared some inside joke. One that Klaus wasn't in on. Chilled to the bone, he went back to his apartment. 

Was something inside of him? A ghost maybe? Or another person? He didn't know up from down. When he got home, it was to see that Dave was gone. He'd probably ducked out early this morning. Klaus wished that he were there. He felt like a balloon that was about to float away into the waiting arms of the supermarket ceiling fan. 

He felt powerless. Dave made him feel strong. Like everything would be all right so long as Dave was there. Which wasn't fair to either of them but Klaus had a lot to deal with mentally. Sue him if he wasn't coping in a healthy way.

Klaus stripped to his underwear and took one of the sleeping pills Dr. Nix prescribed. He didn't want to be awake anymore. Because he knew something was going to come to a head. Whether it was his relationship with Dave, the Sparrow Academy finding him, or his family dragging him away, something was going to happen and it would happen soon.

Which was why he wanted to sleep. Buy himself a little time where he didn't have to think about it. 

Then he'd woken up and he'd had that fight with Dave. Well, not a real fight, more like a skirmish. When Klaus realized he couldn't make the ghosts disappear, he didn't know what to think. He'd always had power over the dead. However, increasingly in the past month they were either ignoring him or disobeying him. It was like with Ben but even worse. 

Dave suggesting he see a shrink had been the last straw. He felt crazy, sure. But for Dave to think he was actually crazy? He could deny it all he wanted, Klaus could see in his eyes Dave was afraid. Klaus panicked and decided that hiding in the bedroom was the best option. Which was why he'd locked the door and fallen silent.

Dave had knocked several times, begging Klaus to open the door. Klaus had been paralyzed, he couldn't move or speak. His heart sped up and he struggled to say something. No words came, and then he heard Dave sigh. It sounded exasperated. Or maybe just tired. 

"I've got to go to work. I love you." 

He heard Dave leave the apartment, and Klaus was still curled up in the corner of the bedroom, wrapping his arms around himself. Klaus was terrified this was it. Dave had finally come to his senses and was leaving him. He couldn't bear the thought, but he couldn't make himself move.

He was having a lot of trouble with that lately. He was tired all the time, so much so he spent more time asleep than awake. He couldn't make himself do anything, much like the ghosts. He felt like a passenger in his own body, and the pilot was on a coffee break. 

Five appeared in front of him and said, "Come with me."

Klaus couldn't move. He wanted to tell Five to fuck off. He was miserable and this was a pity party for one. Five scowled, grabbed Klaus's arm, and pulled. "We have to go, come on!" 

He still didn't move. Now Klaus was scared. Was he catatonic? Oh fuck, was he? Didn't catatonic people get all weird and trapped inside their own heads?

Five managed to get Klaus to his feet, and the next minute they were in the briefcase bay. His brothers and sisters were there. They were dressed at least. Klaus was still wearing his bathrobe. The pretty satin pink one with the ostrich feather trim he'd thought was so nice. Dave had bought it for him at the department store downstairs. 

"Klaus? Are you okay?" Allison asked.

He shook his head.

"Well snap out of it, we have to go," Five said. He took a slip of paper out of his pocket. "I need to concentrate on the formula to open the gateway. Vanya, you're up once it's big enough to drive a car through."

Klaus sighed and turned, heading back in the direction of his room. 

Diego grabbed his arm and said, "Hey, where are you going?"

"Home," Klaus muttered.

"That's where we're going," Diego said. "Home."

Klaus stared at him for a moment. "It's not my home." 

"Yes it is," he replied. "Come home with us, to the Umbrella Academy. We need you." 

"For what?" Klaus asked tonelessly. They were staring at him, concerned. 

"You're our brother--" Allison started, but Klaus shook his head.

"What do you need me for? You haven't needed me since we got here. No one needs me." Okay, maudlin. As he said it though, it felt right, like the truth coming out for the first time in a long time. 

"Of course we need you," Vanya implored. She stopped short of saying why, and looked at the others, silently asking their help. 

"We can't leave you behind," said Luther. 

His eyebrows knit in confusion. Things had been weird since Ghost Klaus had killed Libby. Or made her move on, whatever. It still counted as killing her. The weird thing was, it felt like Ghost Klaus was trying to help. Which was bonkers, since Ghost Klaus had tried to kill him in the past. Okay not literally kill him just steal his body. There was so much going on that Klaus didn't know about.

"You're hiding something again," he said. "Just tell me the truth. Please?" 

Five sighed and said, "It won't work without you."

It was so simple. Of course. They'd leave him behind if they could. But they wanted to get home. To their friends, loved ones, their lives. Klaus shook his head.

"Just leave me," he said. "There's nothing for me there."

"There won't be anything for you here," Diego said. "Dave knows that even if you don't."

Klaus blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He helped us," Allison said. "He said you weren't safe here and you had to go."

"You're lying," Klaus said, taking two steps back from them. 

"We're not," said Five sadly. "I can prove it."

He took what looked like a tiny record player out of his pocket and pressed the center of it with his thumb.

A video played in midair of Dave talking with the others. They were discussing the plan to escape, and at the end, he said, "Please… Tell him I love him? I don't think he'll understand, I hope he does one day. I just don't want to see him hurt because of me."

When the video faded, his siblings were surrounding him. 

"It's time to go, Klaus," Five said. 

Klaus shook his head, tears stinging his eyes. "No. I won't go! I'm not going back to being alone all the time!" 

"We won't--" Allison said but he glared at her.

"Won't what? Ditch me the first chance you get to see your daughter? Don't deny it, it's true." He then turned on Diego. "And you. How long until you chase after Lila?" He kept backing away, his siblings staring at him, speechless. "I won't go back! I can't go back! I can't! I can't!"

Klaus kept saying it over and over, unable to stop himself. There was a pain in his chest like his heart was literally breaking in two. So much pain, so much he hadn't dealt with since they'd come to the Commission, and beforehand even. It was washing over him. Then he was floating, feet lifting off the ground. 

"Perfect timing." Klaus could hear the voice coming out of himself, and he couldn't stop it. A woman's voice, not his at all. "Oh, Number Five, I see you're still wearing those adorable little shorts. Shouldn't you have moved on to long pants by now? You are getting on in years."

Five was staring at him in horror. "You!"

"Me," she replied, using his mouth. What the fuck?!

"Get out of my brother!" Five snarled.

"Oh I don't think so," she said. "You're the ones who left him lying around like a discarded puppet. And that's what he is. My puppet."

"We saw you die," Diego growled.

"What's one more death when you're the Handler? Names aren't picked, they're earned. And I handle every situation placed before me. Something you'd have learned if you'd signed on with me, Diego. I always have a backup plan," she said.

Then it clicked. The weird dream, people at the Commission suddenly acting all nice towards him, his fucking hair!

The Handler.

Oh fuck, he was possessed by that crazy bitch. Klaus tried forcing her out as he'd done with Ben. Of course, he didn't know how he'd forced Ben out, and this felt like trying to break through a brick wall with a plush toy. 

"How long have you been possessing Klaus?" Five asked.

"Oh for quite some time now. Dr. Nix is an ally, and he was more than happy to engineer a way for Klaus to remain asleep while I used his body to put my plan into motion," said the Handler. 

"I heard a rumor you got out of Klaus's body," Allison said.

Nothing happened. 

"Nice try, but I'm planted far too deep inside him to be removed by such conventional means," she said. 

"What do you want?" Luther asked. 

"I wanted to be the Chairwoman of the Board here at the Commission. However, it's been made clear to me that won't be possible. So I'll settle for destroying the Commission instead. And bringing about that nasty apocalypse you somehow keep avoiding. You can't escape fate forever, Five." 

He could feel her reaching out with his powers. All the ghosts were coming. She was going to use them to destroy the Commission and the world as they knew it. 

Klaus didn't know what to do. He tried forcing her out again, but then he felt a push back. He was being shoved away. The Handler said, "I'll deal with you later."

And suddenly Klaus wasn't in his body anymore. He was somewhere dark, and cold, and he was frightened. He didn't know this place. And yet it was very familiar. When he realized where he was, he screamed. 

The mausoleum. Why did he always end up back at the mausoleum?

He could smell the damp stone around him, feel moss in the cracks in the walls. The floor was freezing cold. The familiar wraiths were surrounding him, screaming his name so loud he thought he would lose his hearing. He covered his ears, forcing himself to think past the phantoms. 

"You're not real, none of this is real!" 

Telling himself that didn't make the walls melt. Repeating it didn't make the ghosts shut up. If Klaus didn't know any better, he would think that he was back in the mausoleum after all. But he couldn't be, it was impossible! After Reggie had kicked him out of the Academy, Klaus had hunted the place down. 

It was in an old, crumbling cemetery outside of town. Ben hadn't approved, but he hadn't stopped Klaus either. He'd imbibed enough liquid courage to face his demons… Kind of. Okay, he'd fucking blown the place up which was almost as good. He'd had a pyro phase as a kid and knew how to make a modified pipe bomb thanks to dear old Dad and their studies. 

No one knew it was him, well except Reginald if he'd ever heard about it. And yeah, it didn't remove the memories but he felt a little better. 

Klaus said aloud, "You're gone, the mausoleum is gone, and I'm not a kid anymore!" He closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing on the truth. When he opened them again… Nothing had changed. 

Klaus was still a child, screaming for his father to let him out, for someone to save him. Everything in his life was collapsing around him. It was hopeless. He was trapped inside his own flashback while the Handler used his body and his powers to exact her revenge. Dave and his siblings were probably being torn apart by ghosts while the shades of Klaus's memories clawed at him, howling. 

Much like he'd done in the bedroom, Klaus curled up in the corner.

It was over. Everything his family had worked for. Everything Klaus had worked for, trying to save Dave and build a life with him. 

The Umbrella Academy failed once again, and it was Klaus's fault for letting the Handler in. If he weren't so petrified, he'd stand up and take a bow. 

"Goodbye cruel world, it was nice knowing you," Klaus said.


	18. until the end, until this pool of blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I keep losing power because of the winter storms. Because of this I'm going to edit and post as much of this fic tonight as I can.

"Stop right there." 

He heard a gun cock behind him, and Dave was surprised when he whirled around just in time to see Herb attacking Johnson, Klaus's former supervisor. He grabbed him around the head and twisted, snapping his neck in an instant. He fell to the floor, dead. 

"Nice work," said Dave.

"I wasn't always a pencil pusher," Herb replied

"Oh no, look at this," said Dot.

Herb and Dave rushed to the center console. There were purple wires there that Dave didn't recognize. 

"What is this?" He asked. 

"Someone's opened the channels on the Infinite Switchboard," Herb said. "Look." 

Indeed, on the monitors, they could see several places in time where ghosts were suddenly appearing. 

"How is this possible?" Dave asked. 

"With the channels open and ghosts all over the Commission? It's like leaving a flood gate open." 

They didn't have long to take it in. A moment later, two men in Sanitation uniforms came into the control room, both armed. Dave recognized them as Klaus's former coworkers. He'd heard Klaus call them the Ryans. One said, "Okay you two, come along quiet, nice and easy. And you pretty boy, you wanna live, you'll stay back."

Dave didn't hesitate. He'd always been quick on the draw and never went anywhere unarmed. Dave shoved Dot and Herb to the floor and scuttled under the switchboard as the room erupted into gunfire. He was relieved to see they'd done the same across the room. 

Drawing his own weapon, Dave had to fire from the hip and was damn near amazed he'd made the shot. He managed to hit one of the Ryans in the kneecap. He screamed and fell, the other Ryan still shooting. Dave fired again and caught him in the thigh. When they were both on the ground, Dave slipped out from under the switchboard and kicked their guns away.

Herb and Dot emerged as well, disheveled but otherwise unharmed. 

"We got anything to tie them up with?" He asked. 

To Dave's surprise, Dot pulled a pair of handcuffs out of her purse and handed them to him. Herb on the other hand took off his tie and bound the first Ryan who'd been shot. Dave handcuffed the second and asked, "You just carry handcuffs on you?"

"Always be prepared," she said.

He did not want to think about it. Once they were secure, Dave grabbed the first Ryan and said, "Talk, what's happened to Klaus?" 

The Ryan spit at him and said, "Fuck you!"

He pressed the barrel of the gun against his forehead. "Tell me, now."

"You think you've won? I'm not telling you--"

His sentence was cut off by Dave shooting him in the head.

"Jesus Christ!" The other Ryan exclaimed. "You killed my cousin!"

"And I'm going to kill you if you don't tell me what's going on," Dave replied. He dropped the now dead man and stood over to the other Ryan. "What's wrong with Klaus?

"That ain't Hargreeves anymore," he said. "The Handler's got him."

"How?" Dave asked.

"It's her ghost, she's possessing him, has been for months. Please, don't kill me," he begged. 

Before Dave could ask anything further, a ghost entered the room. 

This one didn't look like the others. It was glowing green, and Dave couldn't tell if it had been a man, a woman, or who knew what. Its eyes radiated hatred, and it let out an unholy shriek that sent a chill down Dave's spine. He backed away, pushing Dot and Herb behind him. The Ryan was on the floor, pleading, "No! Please! I'm on your side! I didn't tell them anything!"

The ghost either couldn't understand him or didn't care. It seized on the Ryan and furiously proceeded to attack him, slashing at his face and neck. 

"Oh shit," Dave said softly. "Uh… Any ideas?"

"This way," Herb said. He weaved around the main console and to Dave's surprise threw open a hatch hidden under a bit of carpet. He and Dot followed him through, climbing down a ladder. Dave made sure to close the hatch after them and lock it. 

Once they'd finished descending, Herb lit a golden cigarette lighter and said, "No one knows about these tunnels aside from the director and the board. I hope Number Four can't send ghosts down here."

"But you heard what that guy said, it's not Klaus, it's someone called the Handler." Dave had heard the name before of course but didn't know everything about her. 

Dot and Herb exchanged glances.

"She was a member of senior management. She staged a coup to take over the Commission when she was demoted for disobedience and recklessness. I actually have her old job," said Dot.

"Must be why her lackeys were trying to capture you. And since Herb's director now if she wanted to take over again she'd probably want him, too. So… How the hell are we gonna fight back?" Dave asked. 

"Do you mean kill ghosts?" Herb asked. 

Dave rubbed the back of his neck. "I've seen Klaus do it, it's possible. Though I don't know how we're going to pull it off without him. 

"Perhaps if we used an energy neutralizer, we have a few in metaphysics don't we?" Dot countered. 

"Or, perhaps you require a different kind of assistance."

The lights in the tunnel came on, and a man in a bowler hat and a monocle stood there, with a team who looked pretty damn similar to the Numbers. 

"Sir Reginald," said Herb. "Nice to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

"Quite," he replied, looking at Dave before turning back to Herb. "I should inform you that ghosts are currently running amok through the time stream. While I do not approve of you sheltering the renegades, I am willing to put that aside for today to stop the apocalypse."

Dave was about to protest, but Herb said, "A truce then?"

"A truce."

They shook hands, and then Herb walked away, he and Sir Reginald talking about the current situation. Dave wasn't sure what to do, so he followed them. It was weird to be surrounded by people who looked exactly like his boyfriend's family and yet so different. They were side-eyeing him, too. 

The Other Klaus was floating beside him and he said, "They're confused."

"Why?" Dave asked.

"Being without a body has left me… Hollow, in certain aspects. Emotionally. They can't picture me ever feeling enough to love someone," he replied. 

"I think that's the saddest thing I've ever heard." 

"And untrue. If I were incapable of love, I wouldn't want to save the world." 

They fell silent as they'd approached the end of the tunnel.

"This goes up into the recreation zone," Herb said. "We should be able to cut through the back storage areas and get to metaphysics undetected."

"We can send out an anti-energy wave that should either destroy or disable the ghosts," Dot said. "But someone needs to buy us time."

"And we've got to get the Handler out of Klaus."

Everyone turned and stared at him like he was completely crazy. 

"Dave…" Dot started but he shook his head.

"It's not just because of my feelings," Dave reasoned. "If she's still inside him when that ghost killer thing happens then we'll never be rid of her. She'll bid her time and try again. For Christ's sake, the woman died and she still managed to exact her revenge. She needs to be put down for good." 

Sir Reginald looked at Herb, who said, "He raises a good point."

"Very well," said Sir Reginald. "Sparrow Academy, protect this young man and Number Four. Get them close to this… Other Number Four."

"Shouldn't he help with this ghost-killing thing?" Dave asked.

"If you intend to remove the offending spirit you will need someone who knows how," Sir Reginald replied. 

Dave had to admit it made sense. 

They left the tunnel and did indeed come out through the recreation area. Dave expected to see ghosts wreaking havoc. Instead, the Manteau people were out in force. This was when Dave realized two things. One, Klaus was right about the infiltration. Two, these people had superpowers.

A pint-sized Hispanic girl in an ice cream person's uniform sprinted past and threw her hands out in front of her. The ghosts were suddenly enveloped in a fog and Dave was pretty sure he could hear screaming. 

A tall and muscular black man wearing a cook's apron jogged past, firing lasers from his fingertips. 

Dave lost sight of Dot, Herb, and Sir Reginald in the melee. However, he already had his mission objective. Stop the Handler. Save Klaus. 

Okay, the last part was the mission he'd assigned himself, but he wasn't going to let Klaus die. Not today, not ever. 

"Split up!" Number One said. 

Dave and Other Klaus did just that, ducking into one of the service hallways. 

"This way," Dave said, pointing to the left, and they started walking.

Other Klaus was staring at him. "You didn't seem surprised." 

"By the other Sparrows? I was a little. Klaus said they could be infiltrators but I thought he was kidding. So they've been spying on us the whole time?" He asked. 

"Yes, it was easier for Sir Reginald to sneak them in here. Obviously, we couldn't show our own faces," he said. 

"This day is getting weirder and weirder," Dave muttered.

"I imagine so."

He then remembered what the Other Klaus had said when he'd shown up in their apartment. "Did you know the Handler was inside Klaus?"

"Yes, and I assumed she must have been summoning the other ghosts for some plan or another. That Klaus couldn't control them was obvious. That he wasn't the person who called them? Only obvious to another medium like myself," said Klaus. 

"Then why did you leave when the other agents showed up? It's not like the guns could hurt you."

"I had to report back to Sir Reginald so that he could gather our forces. It took longer than expected. We were supposed to come back just after but unsurprisingly Number Five missed. Again."

"How'd you get past the shield?"

"Number Seven. She was able to put a hole in it long enough for us to get through. It takes a lot of effort on her part, she's lucky she's not unconscious." 

"So what do we do?" Dave asked.

"I'll distract her," said Other Klaus. "I need you to tell the Umbrella Academy to hide. Protect themselves, whatever it takes. Then when I give the signal," he held his hand up making the Boy Scout salute, "Fire at Klaus."

"I can't shoot him!" Dave snapped.

"If you want the Handler out of him, you'll have to. That will buy us enough time for me to sever the Handler's connection to his body and for you to free him."

Dave paused. "What do you mean to free him?"

"If Klaus hasn't taken control of his body back by now, that means she's keeping him locked up somewhere inside his head. While I'm forcing her out, I'm going to let you in. Get him and bring him back, or he'll be an empty shell."

The way the Other Klaus said it, tinged with regret, he asked, "Is that what happened to you?"

"My story is long and we don't have much time. Perhaps later," he said.

They reached the briefcase room, and Dave peered in through a hole in the door. The Numbers were pinned, trying to fight off the ghosts as they were tearing the room apart. 

"Can you nail the ones in there?" Dave asked. 

"One moment."

The Other Klaus walked through the door, and Dave followed, sticking to the shadows to stay hidden. His stomach turned at the sight before him. 

Diego was unconscious, Five was trying to distract the Handler by jumping all over the place. Allison and Luther attempting to fight the ghosts but having little success. Vanya using her powers to keep them away. They looked up when they saw the Other Klaus, and Allison gasped.

"And what do we have here?" The Handler asked.

It made Dave's stomach turn. It was Klaus's body, but it obviously wasn't Klaus who occupied it. And it wasn't just because of the silvery-white hair and the now blue eyes. 

"Hello, I'm Number Four," said the Other Klaus. "I see that you've occupied the body of my counterpart. Well done." 

"I saw in his memory you attempted to do the same and failed. Why are you here?" The Handler asked. 

"To strike a bargain with you," he said.

Dave snuck over to the Numbers, coming up behind Vanya. He whispered, "Don't scream, it's me." 

"Dave?" She whispered. Her eyes were white, she was pale and glowing and it was honestly a bit scary.

"Yes, don't talk just listen. I need you to get Five behind your shield and as soon as you do, keep it up and don't move until I tell you to," Dave muttered. 

"I'll get him," Luther said out of the side of his mouth. 

"In advance, I'm sorry," said Dave.

"Sorry for what?" Allison asked.

"You'll see. Don't interfere it's the only way to save Klaus."

Luther had grabbed Five by this time, and once he was behind the shield Dave moved on. He continued to sneak around to the other side of the room. The Handler hadn't spotted him, at least not yet. Dave wanted to make sure he was closer before doing this. 

As he pulled his gun up, he hesitated. Yes, it wasn't Klaus in the driver's seat, but it was still Klaus's body. If Dave missed his mark, he'd kill Klaus. He pushed that thought aside. He'd been a marksman, for God's sake. He could do this.

Dave exhaled and fired. 

The shot caught him in the shoulder. It wasn't going to kill him but it was enough to knock him on his back. Dave rushed over and pinned him down before the Handler could react. The Other Klaus shot forward and plunged one of his hands into Klaus's head, then the other in Dave's.

It felt like someone stabbing him in the brain with an icicle. He could hardly breathe, his lungs felt like they'd crystallized. It reminded him of the time he'd fallen off the roof of his uncle's barn and into a snowbank. Then he was on solid ground, outside of a cemetery. 

"What the hell?" Dave said aloud. 

"You're gonna have to find him."

The Other Klaus was standing there. "I'm getting her out. It's taking time, she's got a lot of connections in his mind."

"How do we get out once I find him?" Dave asked.

"It'll be like waking up from a dream, it'll come naturally." 

Dave looked at the cemetery, full of identical mausoleums. "I guess I better start looking."

"Good luck," the Other Klaus said.

"Yeah, thank you," said Dave.

He was going to need it. 

* * *

Klaus didn't know how long he'd been in the mausoleum. He had a tendency to lose track of time when he was being scared half to death. It could have been three minutes, three hours, or three days. But then something shifted. He wasn't sure what, but the atmosphere didn't feel the same. It almost felt... Warmer. He couldn't figure out why. 

"It's Dave. He's in your mind."

He jumped, and when he saw Ben he started to cry. "You're gone."

"I know, but part of me is always going to be inside you," said Ben. "Part of my consciousness, anyway."

"Ugh, nasty."

"Oh shut up. It's a side effect of the possession. It's why the other you is trying to get the Handler out right now. He's got to make sure she's gone completely," Ben told him.

Klaus stared for a moment, then reached out and slapped Ben across the face.

"Ow! Hey what the hell?!" Ben exclaimed.

He jumped up and tackled him to the floor, yelling, "Where were you?! I needed you and you were gone!" He punched Ben in the sides a few times for good measure.

"Take it easy! And stop hitting me!" 

Klaus was in tears, and he collapsed on Ben, crying into his chest. "You left."

"I know I did," Ben said. "And I'd do it again, too. If it meant saving Vanya, or you. Or any of our siblings." 

"Our siblings suck," Klaus muttered. 

Ben pushed him off and rolled so he could stand. "Yeah, and you're not exactly a picnic yourself." 

"I know," he said mournfully. "Here I am, hot garbage. At least this time the world's not ending because of Vanya."

"But it is ending because of you. And you're not going to be able to stop the Handler from in here," Ben told him.

Klaus rubbed at his forehead and sighed. "I don't have it in me." 

"What?"

"I can't keep fighting, I'm not strong like the rest of you, I never was."

"You're kidding right?" Ben shook his head. "What's with you anyway? You've never had this attitude before." 

"What attitude?" Klaus asked.

"So... Defeated. Even at your lowest points you never let any of this get to you," said Ben. 

Klaus ran a hand through his hair. "It's been a hard few years." 

"Well I was there for the Dallas stuff and the 60s so why don't you tell me what else is going on."

He sighed. "Well, when we returned to the future, it was an alternate timeline. The Umbrella Academy was the Sparrow Academy. Which hey by the way you're still alive and that was terrifying." 

Ben blinked. "Okay, I can see how that might be an issue. Go on."

"I'm kind of dead in the new timeline. Well sorta, I'm in a coma. I can like, astral project though. And then they tried to kill us. So we joined the Commission to have somewhere to hide out."

"Sounds reasonable so far."

"That's where it gets bad."

He told Ben everything. About working in Sanitation, the months of loneliness that nearly drove him insane, the ghosts he'd befriended then helped to move on, meeting Dave again, dating him again, being shut out of the family plans. He talked until he felt like he was going to lose his voice. 

When Klaus was done, Ben said, "Jesus, that's fucking terrible. Is this why you're giving up?"

"I'm not giving up, I'm accepting the inevitable," Klaus muttered.

"Bullshit, you're totally giving up."

"How many times Ben?! How many of these fucking world-ending events are we going to be the center of? This makes three! Maybe Dad's right, maybe the Handler's right. This was always going to happen and we're fucking kidding ourselves thinking we can stop it," said Klaus. 

"That's not true, Klaus. You're tired. If I'd been through what you'd been through? I'd be tired too. No one deserves a rest more than the Umbrella Academy. But if you sit here and let the Handler have her way, what's going to happen to our family?" 

Klaus snorted. "I don't know and I don't care."

"Okay, then banish me."

He paused, eyes wide. "What?"

"Banish me, right now, go ahead," Ben said, getting up and opening his arms. "Get rid of me."

"I can't do that," said Klaus.

"Why? You don't care about our family, right? They're all going to die anyway so why hang onto me? Banish me. I dare you." 

"You are such an asshole," Klaus muttered, clutching at his hair. "Don't you get it?"

"What, that you're angry? I get it, I used to hate you, remember?" Ben asked.

"Yeah but everyone hates a junkie," said Klaus. 

"I didn't hate you because you were a junkie. I hated that you would use the flimsiest excuse to keep doing drugs or worse, screw someone else over. And that's not because of being a junkie that's who you are as a person. Don't get me wrong, I'd be reading our sisters and brothers the riot act right now but they're a little busy trying to stop the apocalypse, as you said, for the third time."

"Then my point still stands, maybe it's time this whole shit show just... Stopped." 

"That's your exhaustion and your anger talking. You're mad at them because they didn't stick around and pay attention to you," said Ben. "Which okay, I get it. Isolation sucks. I'm not even saying you have to forgive them. Just don't let them die because you're exhausted and want the world to stop so you can get off." 

"Maybe they'll kill me, it would solve everyone's problems," he said, staring at the ground. 

"Jesus Christ Klaus," Ben said softly, kneeling next to him. "Is that what you really think?"

"Let's say the Handler's evicted, the whole world is saved, yay team. Then what? We go to the new timeline where I go back to pining for a man who died before I was even born? Back to more loneliness with a family who are either too busy or too angry with me to even notice I go missing? I can't do it again. I just want to stay here with Dave."

"I swear you and Dave. You can't keep hanging your hopes and dreams on him like that and making him the bearer of all your happiness. It's not fair to him."

"I don't mean it like that. I just mean...I don't know how to put it into words."

"Try."

Klaus took a deep breath and let it out. "Dave sees me. Warts and all, and he loves me no matter what. I don't want to forget him and move on. I had a second chance with him here and if I go back with the others I'm never going to see him again." 

"Maybe you should let our family see you, then," said Ben. 

"Oh sure, that'll work super well--" But Ben cut him off.

"I mean talk to them. Don't brush it off and pretend it doesn't matter anymore. It does, your feelings matter. It also wouldn't kill you to see a therapist. We know you have PTSD and who knows what else in this sad excuse for a brain."

"Really not helping your case by insulting me."

"It's the only way you'll listen." Ben's voice softened. "I know you bottle things up or cover them with a joke. Tell them, in detail, what you're going through and why it's so hard for you to stay sober. Talk to them."

"I tried."

"You started to try, then they made a mistake and you dummied up again. You can't expect them to give you another chance if you won't do the same."

"There has to be a limit though, Ben. I'm just supposed to accept they're going to treat me like shit forever?"

"Just... One more try? For me?" 

He'd looked up from the ground of the mausoleum to look at Ben. He was giving him puppy dog eyes super hard and man it was difficult to say no to that face. It was completely unfair, but Klaus couldn't deny him. "Fine, I'll try."

"Good. And about Dave? I get it. But you need to learn to be happy without the drugs and outside your relationship. He's your first love, and I know how hard it is for you to let yourself be vulnerable with someone. But he's not your last and only love, okay? Besides if they pull this off there's no way you and the others can stay at the Commission. It'll just throw everything out of whack again."

"How do you know?" Klaus asked petulantly. 

"Because unlike you I understand Five when he starts talking theoretical physics and time travel," Ben snarked. "Go home. Please."

"I'll think about it."

Ben was about to say something more when they both heard someone walking outside. 

"Klaus? Klaus where are you?" A voice called.

"Dave?" Klaus whispered, hardly able to believe it. 

"I told you he was here," said Ben.

"Klaus!" 

Slowly, he got up, walking to the door of the mausoleum. "Dave? Can you hear me?" 

"Louder," said Ben.

"Dave!" 

"Klaus!"

He pushed on the door to the mausoleum, but it wouldn't budge. "Stupid fucking--Dave!" 

Then the door was shaking, and Dave was yelling, "Klaus! I can't get the damn door open!"

"Me neither!" He pushed again.

"I'm going to pull and you're going to push okay?"

"Okay."

Ben was beside Klaus, and he put his hands on the door. "We'll do it together."

"On three," said Dave. "One, two, three."

When Dave said three, both Klaus and Ben pushed the door as hard as they could. This resulted in the door flying open, Dave being knocked onto his back, and both Ben and Klaus falling on him.

"Klaus!" Dave grinned and kissed him, then looked at Ben. "Who's this guy?"

"Ben," Klaus replied. 

"Nice to meet you."

They got to their feet, and Ben said, "I've got to go, you need to get back pronto. But... Klaus, I'll be around when you need me." 

"Wait, don't go," Klaus blurted before he could stop himself. "I... My life's been a mess since you left." 

"I don't doubt it, but it's your life, you're the one who's got to live it. I love you, dumbass." Ben hugged him. 

"You shit eater," Klaus said affectionately, and Ben disappeared. "I love you too." 

Dave took Klaus's hand and said, "I'm so happy I found you. Look the other guy--"

"Ben told me he's fumigating," said Klaus.

"Yeah, and... Darling, I love you. I love you so much I can't put it into words," Dave said. "But I think once she's gone, you should go with your siblings."

Klaus sighed. "It was never going to work, was it?"

"What?"

"Me, getting a happy ending." 

Dave kissed him deeply. "You'll get one someday, I promise." 

"I wish it were with you," Klaus said.

"I know, I want the same. I wish I could come with you, I really do." 

Klaus kissed Dave again and said, "Just don't forget me, all right?"

"Never."

Then Klaus was lying on the floor of the briefcase room, and his shoulder was in agony. 

"I believe he needs medical attention," Ghost Klaus said.

"No shit!" Dave yelled, stripping out of his blazer and pressing it to Klaus's shoulder. 

"Fuck!" Klaus cried. 

"I'm so sorry," said Dave. "I had to shoot you so we could get her out."

"Fucking really?" Klaus snapped.

Ghost Klaus shrugged. "It was the most expedient way. Don't complain, you're not dead. Yet." 

He wanted to argue, but fuck, he was getting woozy. Blood loss? Shock? Who knew, not Klaus. He wasn't a nurse. He'd be a terrible nurse. He wasn't conscious for long. He tried to fight it, afraid if he passed out he'd never see Dave again. That one thought alone, not being able to say goodbye to him, scared Klaus more than anything that had happened all day. But there wasn't anything he could do to stop it. 

When his eyes closed, he quietly prayed that he'd wake up with Dave. That it was all a bad dream and Dave was still by his side. 

Yes, a dream... It was all a dream.


	19. Chapter 19

Dave stayed with Klaus as they rushed him to the hospital clinic, but was told to wait outside with the other Hargreeveses. He was surprised to see both the Umbrella Academy and the Sparrow Academy in the waiting room. Dave was a mess of filth and blood, and he didn't care. He just wanted Klaus to be okay.

He sat down, away from the two groups, and let his head fall in his hands. He needed a minute. Or three. Maybe an entire hour. 

"Gadget?" He looked up to see Five standing in front of him. "Good job."

"Yeah," he muttered, not sure how to respond.

Five sat next to him, also a mess. He could see cuts on his face. "Maybe Klaus was right."

"You're going to have to say that again when he's awake, he'll never believe it," Dave replied. 

"I've admitted it once before," Five said huffily. "He said Vanya might be the bomb but I'm the fuse. Though I suspect it was really the Handler talking to me through him. He took it back almost immediately after and apologized. Still, the apocalypse does seem to happen when I put a plan into motion to stop it." 

"Today wasn't on you, it was on her," said Dave. "I just can't figure out how she planned all this."

"Oh, that reminds me," Five said, and got up and disappeared. He came back a moment later with a man sporting a black eye and a cut lip, his hands zip-tied behind his back. "You'll want to prosecute him."

"Who's this guy?" Dave asked. The man was gagged with Five's tie.

"Dr. Nix. He prescribed the pills to my brother that allowed the Handler to take over."

Dave nodded and got up, going to the nurses' station. He called down to security to come and get the doctor, then went back to where he'd been sitting. "They're on their way. Herb will probably want to convene a disciplinary committee."

"Of course," Five replied, and shoved the man to the ground. 

After security hauled Dr. Nix away, the waiting room became a makeshift conference room. The Umbrella Academy and the Sparrow Academy having a sit-down, something Dave figured they should have done long before now. He noticed that one of the guys with the Sparrow Academy had a scar across his face, and looked exactly like the man he'd seen in Klaus's mind.

It clicked in Dave's head. This must be Ben, his brother who'd died. And how creepy was that? Seeing your brother the same but also so markedly different. He gazed at Dave, a cold look on his pretty face, before turning his attention back to the discussion at hand. 

The Other Klaus seemed as disinterested in the talk as he was about everything else. He occasionally looked at Dave, as though trying to picture what might have been. Dave couldn't help a shudder at that thought. Some things were best left as they were. 

Finally, a nurse came out and called, "Hargreeves?" Thirteen heads turned to look at him, sixteen if you counted Dave, Dot, and Herb. "He's out of surgery." 

Dave jumped up. "Is he going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine. Some blood loss and tissue damage, but he'll make a full recovery." 

"When will he be able to leave?" Five asked.

He frowned. "He's just had major surgery, I can't recommend moving him."

"Hold on," said Dave. "Five, what gives? I understand if you have to leave, but what's the rush?" 

"The rush is the Commission is still closing off the different timelines, and that process can't be stopped. If we're going to escape we need to leave in the next hour," he replied. 

Dave was about to argue, but then Herb said, "Make sure he's stabilized then we can get him transferred to a hospital in that timeline." 

"Hold on--" Dave protested. "What if that hurts him?"

"We will make sure he gets the best care," Herb assured him. 

He turned to the nurse. "Can I see him?"

"He's not awake," the nurse said, uncertainty in his voice.

"Please," he said, trying to keep his tone even. He wanted to scream at the man to let him see Klaus. He only resisted because yelling likely wouldn't get him what he wanted.

"It's all right," Herb said. "If it's safe to do so, let Mr. Katz see him."

The nurse nodded and led Dave through the hallway. He wasn't allowed in the room because Klaus was still resting, but that was okay. At least Dave could see him. He put his hand against the window and whispered, "I love you, Klaus." Then he walked away, going upstairs to their apartment. He didn't have much time. 

Dave grabbed a pad of paper and a pen as soon as he got in, and wrote out all his feelings for Klaus. The good, the not-so-great, things Klaus did that drove him insane. It was silly rambling and not well ordered. But he wasn't letting Klaus go to this new timeline without knowing how much Dave loved him. 

He finished the letter with, "I'll love you forever," and signed it with his full name. 

He shoved it in an envelope and looked around for something he could give to Klaus. He found the dog tags on the bedside table, but Dave wanted to keep them. They were Klaus's more than they were his, at least in Dave's mind. But he didn't want to send Klaus back empty-handed. 

Dave didn't accumulate a lot of knick-knacks or jewelry. But there had to be something. Finally, he found it. His grandfather's pocket watch. Dave hadn't looked at it since he'd joined the Commission. 

Dave went back down to the infirmary and arrived just as the Hargreeveses were leaving. Dave grabbed Diego and handed him the letter and the pocket watch.

"Give these to Klaus," he said, not allowing Diego to argue.

"I will," he replied, tucking them into his jacket. Diego then surprised him by pulling Dave into a hug, saying, "I'm sorry for everything, Dave. You're pretty cool after all."

"I'll miss you too, dumbass," Dave replied.

Then each of the Hargreeves was embracing him, one after the other, saying words of comfort or apology. Even Five hugged him, which was unexpected, to say the least. Finally, they walked away, arm in arm, and then they disappeared. 

The Sparrow Academy had already taken their leave, and Dave wasn't sure what to do. 

Herb approached him and said, "Debrief tomorrow morning."

"Yes sir, what time?" 

"Whenever you're ready."

Dave nodded and went back to his apartment for the second time that night. He was alone, Klaus was gone. The Numbers were gone. He would be back to square one starting now. No friends in the Commission, no Klaus, no ghosts. Just him. Dave knew he wasn't letting himself feel the pain yet. Too busy of a day. He showered, shaved, and went to bed. As he lay in the dark, it struck him how big and empty everything felt without Klaus there.

He didn't sleep well that night, and the next morning he went to Herb's office as soon as he was in. 

"You don't look so well, Dave," Herb said as he sat down.

"I'm not feeling so well," he admitted.

"I have some good news. Klaus is fine, he made it to the hospital in the other timeline and he's stable. He's expected to make a full recovery," said Herb. 

"That's great." Dave wasn't sure why he sounded so sarcastic. 

Herb however seemed to understand, and he asked, "Do you need to talk?"

"I do have some questions, sir." He had to at least try to be respectful no matter how surly he was feeling this morning.

"Would you prefer to address those before or after the debriefing?" 

"After, sir."

"All right. If you'll give me your report, please." Herb had a tape recorder set up on his desk, and he hit record, saying into the microphone, "This is the testimony of David Katz regarding the incident on 12/18 at approximately 1300 hours in which the Handler attempted to end the world with the unwilling help of one Klaus Hargreeves. You may continue, Mr. Katz." He then turned the microphone towards Dave.

"Well sir, after we split from you, Dot, and the Sparrow Academy, I followed the other Number Four until we got to the briefcase room." Dave then detailed how it had happened, and the strange trip through Klaus's mind. "It wasn't what I expected. A crumbling cemetery but with the same mausoleum over and over again."

"Yes, we're aware that Sir Reginald attempted an immersion cure to help Number Four's phobia," Herb said.

"Seems to have had the opposite effect," Dave muttered sarcastically.

"You don't perform immersion therapy on someone that young precisely because it will backfire," he replied. 

"How young?"

"Quite. I'm not certain but between the ages of four and twelve." 

Dave shivered. God, Klaus at such a young age, locked away by his supposed father to cure him of a completely natural fear. "I hate him."

"Yes, Sir Reginald Hargreeves is brilliant in many respects. Child-rearing is not one of them. Continue please."

Dave explained how he'd managed to find Klaus, though he left out the part about Ben. That felt like something private. He then finished with, "Then the next thing I knew I was back in my own body and Klaus was going into shock because I'd shot him."

"I see." Herb had been taking notes as well as recording. He then turned the mic back towards himself and said, "End of debriefing." 

Once the tape recorder was off, Dave asked, "What did happen to the Handler, sir?"

"Once her ghost was fully extracted from Klaus, Number Four disposed of her. Apparently, she did not want to leave the Earthly plane and put up quite a fight," said Herb. 

"And we're sure she's gone?"

"Yes."

"And the ghost killer wave?" 

"We activated the device after you went into Number Four's mind. The other ghosts were destroyed."

Dave nodded. "What about the Sparrow Academy?"

"They agreed to leave the Commission once it was confirmed the apocalypse had been stopped and the Umbrella Academy would be leaving for another timeline. We likely won't have contact with them again." 

"And… The timelines are closed?"

Herb gave Dave a sad smile. "I'm afraid so." 

His shoulders sagged a bit, and he said, "I suppose it's for the best."

"I'm sorry, Dave, I really am. I know how much Klaus meant to you. How much you two meant to each other. If you need to talk to someone, you can always talk to me, or Dot. As it stands, you're to take some time off," Herb concluded.

"I don't really need--" Dave started.

"It's non-negotiable," Herb replied. "You can either go willingly and use your PTO, or I can place you on suspension, it's your call."

Dave stared at him for a moment, then asked, "Why?"

"You've suffered a loss. I know Klaus isn't dead, but you need time to mourn him."

"I'd be fine with it if I could see him again," said Dave.

"We don't have the means to make that happen. Yet." There was a twinkle in Herb's eye.

Dave raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean yet?"

"R&D and Metaphysics might be working on another project soon. However, it's a long way off. I'd have to get funding approved by the board and a reason besides fulfilling a contract with an employee, even an exemplary one like yourself."

"I don't know what to say," Dave whispered, trying not to cry.

Herb got up and circled around the desk, handing Dave a box of tissues. "I can't promise you it will work, but I can promise you that I'll try. But in the meantime, please, take some time off. Go on a vacation. I hear that Tahiti is nice this time of year." 

Dave nodded. "Yes sir."

He left Herb's office, still carrying the tissues. When he did, it was to see Dot standing outside. She gave him a hesitant smile, then held out her hand for him to shake. He did, and she said, "I wanted to be the one to tell you. You're to receive a commendation when you get back."

"Really?" Dave asked, surprised. "But I didn't do anything."

"You helped save the world, Dave, and the Commission. If that doesn't deserve at least a commendation I don't know what does." 

"Herb says I have to go on vacation."

"He's right, you do. I know it's not precisely what you want right now, but it'll help you heal. Take a break, get out of the Commission for a while," she replied. 

"I'll see you when I get back," Dave promised. 

"Of course you will. Take care of yourself, Dave, the Commission still needs you." 

Dave gave Dot a salute, then walked away. 

His heart was heavy, but there was a glimmer of hope. Maybe he would get to see Klaus again after all. And maybe, just maybe, they'd have one more chance to do this right. In the meantime, Dave had some healing to do. And his contract with the Commission would be up soon, in about a year's time. He'd have to decide where he wanted to retire if not to Klaus's timeline, and what he wanted to do with his life. 

Hopefully, he figured it out before then. 

* * *

  
Klaus was in and out of consciousness. When he was knocked out, he dreamed about Dave. He smiled every time he woke up until he remembered where he was and started crying. Usually, Mom would appear at his side, like magic, to make sure he wasn't experiencing any symptoms of fever or infection. 

When Klaus had woken up in the hospital, he'd known they were outside the Commission right away. This place was filled with ghosts, none of which he recognized. They were leaving him alone, too, which was awesome. Not so awesome was realizing that Dave was gone and Klaus hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye.

However, his siblings had been smart. For them, anyway. When he'd awoken, Luther was sitting in a chair next to his bed, reading a magazine. 

"Where are we?" Klaus asked.

Luther jumped a bit, then said, "Oh, hey, welcome back."

"We're back home, right?" 

"Yeah, we got the right timeline this time. You're in Good Samaritan Hospital. We weren't sure that Mom would be able to take care of you so we brought you here to make sure," said Luther.

Klaus blinked. "Mom's okay?"

"She is, and Pogo too."

He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Indifferent maybe? Then he muttered, "Dad's still dead though, right?" 

"Yes, he's gone," Luther assured him.

Klaus sighed. He turned his head a little, then gasped. "My hair!"

"It's back to normal. You're a brunette again. It changed back when we arrived."

"Did my 'stache…" He trailed off and touched his face. Yep, the goatee was back. "Almost like it never happened." 

"That's what it's looking like. We're not sure how or why, but when we arrived at this timeline we sort of reset. You were even wearing your cowboy hat," said Luther.

"Please tell me you saved it."

"It's in your room." 

"That's good… Dave?"

At that, Luther sighed. "He's fine, or he was when we left. He asked us to say goodbye for him. I know he went to see you when you were still unconscious." 

"I wish I'd woken up," Klaus muttered. 

"Maybe you'll see him again one day."

"Fat chance, with my luck."

Luther shrugged. 

They took it in turns, sitting with Klaus. They didn't talk much, at least not after the initial conversation with Luther. Klaus didn't much feel up to flapping his gums. Mostly he thought about Dave. He hoped he was happy, wherever he was. And that he was living the life he always deserved. 

It was when Diego showed up things got interesting. "Got something for you."

"I hope it's a cigarette," Klaus grumbled.

"Not a chance, and you should quit smoking."

"I already quit drinking and drugs, don't make me cut out smoking or I'll cut you." 

"If you're not nice to me I won't give you your surprise."

"So what," Klaus grumbled.

"So it's from Dave and I think you'll want it."

He sat up, wincing from the pain in his shoulder and making grabby hands. "Well, why didn't you say so? Gimme!"

Diego chuckled and handed him a brown envelope. 

Inside, Klaus found a pocket watch and a letter. He recognized it as belonging to Dave's grandfather. He was so touched he was already choking back tears and he hadn't even read the letter yet. He carefully unfolded it and started to read. 

_Dear Klaus,_

_By the time you see this, you'll be back in your world. There's so much I want to say to you, but I don't have a lot of time. They're getting ready to make the jump any minute now and if I forget anything I hope you can forgive me. You are the forgiving type, I know you are. It's one of the many things I love about you._

_Firstly, please take my grandfather's pocket watch. I have the dog tags. They remind me of you and I hoped you wouldn't be upset that I wanted a souvenir of my own. However, I didn't like the thought of you going back without something from me. Please take care of the watch. It's precious, just like you._

_I wish we'd taken some photos together, I'm going to miss seeing your face every day._

_Secondly, I know we didn't talk about it, but I hope you can forgive me. Your siblings and I did discuss the escape plan for you all to go back. You were worrying me, the way you were drifting in and out, it was as though part of you died when Libby disappeared. And I didn't want the Sparrow Academy to hurt you._

_I know you hate it when other people make decisions for you. In this case, I did it because I love you, and you were like a ghost yourself. I hope you can forgive me. Please know I was not trying to get rid of you. I love you more than I've loved anything in my life, I would have kept you here with me if I thought you would not only survive, but thrive._

_I hope now that the Handler isn't pulling your strings anymore, you can finally live your life. Live as I know only you can. Be the vivacious, silly, and queer person I fell in love with. I know you have your pain, but I think you should talk to someone about it. Preferably a professional, but if not, talk to Five. You two are more alike than he would want to admit._

_Klaus… I wish we had more time. I wish I had more time to put in this letter every little thing about you that makes me smile and makes me crazy. I don't. I just checked the clock and I have maybe five minutes to finish this and get it downstairs. So let me be brief. Don't mistake brevity for not caring._

_I love you so much. I would marry you if I could. I would start a new life with you on a commune in Idaho if that's what you wanted. You probably don't believe me, since I didn't come with you. But I meant what I said. I love you more than anything or anyone. You're my number one, darling, and I wish I could say this to you, face to face._

_Okay, that's all. Sorry for being so repetitive, and again sorry for… Everything, really. Mostly that we didn't have the time we should have. I'll dream about you every night, and miss you every day._

_I love you. Don't forget me._

_Yours always,_

_Dave_

Klaus was crying by the time he reached the end. He murmured, "How could I forget you?" 

Diego handed him some tissues, and Klaus wiped his eyes and blew his nose.

"I'm sorry," Diego said. 

"Me too. But much as I hate to admit it, he was right. I suppose you guys were too. To a lesser extent," said Klaus. 

"But not as right as Dave?" Diego teased.

Klaus laughed. "Yeah." Then he was crying again.

He cried a lot, as a matter of fact. At the hospital, and even more so when he got home. Allison and Luther picked him up, and Mom was there to greet him. She gave him one of her wide smiles that always made Klaus think of those women in 1950s appliance ads. 

"Welcome home dear," she said, giving him a hug. "Let's get you up to your room and in bed."

"I'm not an invalid," Klaus protested. "I got shot is all."

"The Handler's possession did a number on your body, Klaus," said Allison. "You need to rest."

Klaus thought of arguing, just to be difficult. Instead, he sighed and let them lead him. 

He did that a lot over the next few days. Just let his siblings do whatever they wanted or Klaus doing whatever they asked him to do. Klaus didn't know what to do with himself. It seemed like every time he made a decision, he would end up in a scrape of some kind. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to let someone else make the decisions for a while.

This behavior did not go unnoticed, but no one was willing to call him out on it, or so Klaus thought. 

It was Vanya of all people who put her foot down.

They were in the library, and Diego told Klaus to go help Mom in the kitchen. He was all thumbs when it came to cooking or cleaning, but what was he going to do? Smoke crack? He went to leave, not even looking at the bar, when Vanya said, "Hey, that's enough."

"Excuse me?" Diego asked, looking up. 

He, Luther, and Allison were doing research. He suspected they were trying to find Five, who had mysteriously disappeared again two days ago. Klaus wasn't worried. Five could handle himself. At first, Klaus was supposed to help with the research. But he kept zoning out and staring at the wall, which was why Diego told him to go help Mom.

"Klaus, you don't have to do everything we say," Vanya said. 

Klaus shrugged but didn't answer. 

"Come to think of it, you have been more… Passive, lately," said Luther. 

Allison was looking at him with concern. "Are you okay?" 

"Define okay," Klaus said. 

The four of them exchanged glances, and Diego said, "You don't have to go help Mom. I just thought… Maybe you need a distraction." 

"I'm moping," Klaus muttered. "Let me mope for a while."

Then Five appeared and said, "I figured it out."

"Where have you been?" Luther asked. 

Glad the attention was off him, at least for a moment, Klaus was about to leave the room when Five stopped him. "Wait, you'll want to hear this too, Klaus." 

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "What?"

"I figured out what kept bringing about the apocalypse," said Five.

"Years of emotional, physical, and psychological abuse?" Klaus asked. That actually got a laugh out of Diego. 

"Kind of," Five replied. "I remember the Handler told me that the apocalypse didn't need to be the end of everything, just the end of something. I could never work out what she meant by that. Then when we traveled to that alternate timeline with no apocalypse, I couldn't figure out what was different. 

"I began my investigation when we were still at the Commission, the timelines without an apocalypse but where there were still super-powered individuals, more specifically versions of us. When we came back here, I started jumping to different spots in time to see if there was still a chance of an apocalypse here."

"Oh no, please tell me you found nothing," Vanya groaned. 

"No, and I finally put it together," Five told her, then turned to the others. "The Umbrella Academy, that was what was supposed to end." 

"Wait, like with all of us dead or--" Luther started but Five cut him off.

"No, just the Umbrella Academy. We can still live together and be a family. But if we want to make sure the world doesn't end? We can't have an Umbrella Academy anymore," said Five. "We have to affirm we're no longer part of it."

Klaus shrugged and said, "Okay, so the Umbrella Academy disbands, the world keeps spinning, am I right?"

"That would be the simplification of it, yes," Five replied. 

"Great. I quit."

"Me too," Allison said.

"And me," Vanya added.

Diego shrugged. "I haven't been part of the Academy in a long time."

Luther hesitated, but only for a moment. "I quit," he said.

"It's official then," said Five. "That's the end of the Umbrella Academy."

"Yippee," Klaus grumbled.

He figured that was when things would go back to normal. Or at least as normal as they got for the Hargreeves family. However, he was surprised when one afternoon Allison approached him. 

"So, I've been talking with Cherise," she started. 

"Who?" Klaus asked, not looking up from his knitting. He was trying to make a hat because his head was cold. Nevermind he was shirtless and wearing a peasant skirt. Details. He had the pocket watch around his neck on a chain. 

"My court-appointed therapist," Allison clarified. "I talked with her about introducing you all to Claire." 

"What'd she say? 'Are you crazy, Allison Hargreeves?'" Klaus snarked.

"I've talked a lot about all of you. And she thinks it would be good if we went to family counseling. Together." 

Klaus stopped fiddling with his yarn and looked up at her. She looked apprehensive like she thought Klaus might say no. And maybe he would have, except he'd made a promise to Ben. Hadn't he suggested counseling? Dave had too, actually. Klaus shrugged and said, "My schedule is pretty open, just tell me where and when." 

"You mean it?" She was trying to keep from grinning and failing miserably

"No, I'm kidding. Of course, I mean it," Klaus replied.

Allison rushed forward and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you!" 

"You owe me."

"Bullshit."

She was practically beaming at him. "Tuesday at 11AM. I'll drive you." 

"Anyone else agreed to come?" Klaus asked. 

"Just Luther and Vanya, I haven't asked Diego and Five yet. To be honest… I wasn't sure you'd want to come. After what happened with that Commission doctor."

"You said it's counseling, so long as she's not prescribing weird medication that knocks me out so a psychotic executive can jumpstart the apocalypse I'd say we're good." 

Allison hugged him again. "Thank you for agreeing anyway. I know it's not easy for you, but we're going to be a real family. We just need to learn how." 

"I know," he replied and gave her a squeeze.

If only Dave could see him now…


	20. until the end of

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are, the last chapter. Sorry about rushing to posting, but with the uncertain power situation (and that there's another winter storm on the way) I didn't want to risk not being able to finish. I'm probably gonna be gone for a while. I've got another book to write and I've been go go go for so long I haven't really been able to relax and have some me time. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the story, and thank you so much to everyone for leaving kudos and comments. I wouldn't have finished without you. And because of you this is the longest story I've ever written. 
> 
> Stay safe.

Dave was worried he was crushing the bouquet in his nervousness. It was a beautiful day, and he was about to see Klaus again for the first time in four years. He hadn't really dressed for the occasion, preferring his usual button-down and khakis with sneakers. His hair had grown out to where it was brushing the tops of his ears now, and he kind of regretted not getting it cut. 

As he walked, he once again worried he was lost. But he'd read the map before leaving the hotel. He was sure he had the right street. Then when he saw the mansion looming ahead, he had to take a deep breath and let it out. He could do this. He opened the gate, went up the steps, knocked on the door, and waited. 

The door opened to a chimpanzee in a tweed suit looking up at him. "May I help you?"

"I'm here to see Klaus," he said. 

"Your name?"

"Dave Katz."

If the chimp recognized the name, he didn't show it. "Do come in," he said and held the door open. Dave followed him into the foyer, and he said, "Wait here, please."

"You're Pogo, aren't you?" Dave asked. 

He paused. "I am." 

"It's nice to meet you," he said, holding his hand out for Pogo to shake.

He took it and said, "And you as well, I've heard a lot about you." 

He didn't doubt it. Klaus was a chatterbox. Pogo then went up the steps and disappeared from sight.

Dave looked around a little, impressed by what he saw. The building definitely reeked of money, hell the carpet under his feet cost more than the clothes on his back or the shoes on his feet. Suddenly, Dave was nervous. It had been two years. What if Klaus had forgotten about him?

Then he heard a squawk, a loud thud, and then running footsteps. He turned to see Klaus turning the corner and barreling down the stairs. His hair was shorter, a mess of curls but back to their usual dark brown. He was tan and had thankfully put on a few pounds since the last time Dave had seen him. Klaus was wearing a cheetah print mesh crop top and baggy olive-colored cargo shorts. He had the pocket watch around his neck. 

Klaus was grinning, and he threw himself at Dave. Dave dropped the flowers and caught Klaus in his arms. They were kissing before either of them knew it, and Dave's heart was fit to burst. 

When Klaus finally pulled away, he said, "I can't believe you're here! How?" 

"It's a long story," Dave said and put him down. He scooped the flowers up from the floor and handed them to Klaus. "For you."

"They're beautiful," he said cradling them close to his chest. 

Dave had found a florist who specialized in rainbow roses. They were a bit weird but unique and beautiful, just like Klaus. 

"I wasn't sure if I should come," Dave admitted.

Klaus blinked. "What? Why?"

"Well I mean, it's been so long. I thought maybe you'd be seeing someone else by now," Dave replied. 

"Yeah, no. It's… Hang on." Klaus walked out of the foyer and came back a few moments later with the roses in a vase. "Let's go up to my room." 

"No funny stuff," Dave teased.

Klaus laughed. "No funny stuff."

They went upstairs, and Dave was a little surprised at the chaos of Klaus's room. There was writing all over the walls as well as artwork and Christmas lights. Clothes littered the floor, full ashtrays were on the dresser as well as the nightstand. "Don't you ever pick up?" Dave asked. 

"Only when someone makes me," Klaus admitted. He sat on the floor on a little pouf cushion and gestured at one across from him. "Sit down, tell me all about what's happened since the Handler." 

Dave did, and he reached out to hold Klaus's hand. "Well, things were a mess for a while. The ghosts she summoned ended up in more time periods than we knew what to do with. So after I got back from my mandatory vacation I was on the clean-up squad for that."

"Mandatory vacation?" Klaus asked.

"Herb's idea, after you'd gone. I went to Italy for a while," said Dave. "Florence, specifically. It was beautiful. Didn't stop me from missing you, though." 

"Aw." He grinned. 

Dave laughed. "When I got back we had to coordinate the effort to remove all traces of the Handler and the ghosts. Wasn't an easy task, let me tell you, but we got it done. We even had help from the Sparrow Academy."

"That must have been a pain in the ass."

"You have no idea."

"How's the Wardrobe department?" 

"Fine. Schneider and Phuong missed you after you left. I have some gifts from them, they're in my hotel room."

"Hotel room?" Klaus said in surprise. "Okay, we'll go get those later."

"I couldn't impose--" Dave started and Klaus snorted. 

"Don't you dare, you're staying here with me. I'm going to put a bell on you so I don't lose you a fourth time." 

Dave couldn't argue with that. "Whatever you want."

"How's my doppelganger?" Klaus asked.

"Well, he…" Dave said. "I don't know how to tell you this, but he died."

"What?" 

"Yeah. It was shortly after the apocalypse was averted. He didn't want to be a ghost anymore, he wanted to move on. He was still tied down by the fact his body was still alive, so he asked Sir Reginald to pull the plug." 

"Did he?"

Dave shook his head. "Refused. Said that he couldn't lose such a valuable asset."

"Then how…" Klaus trailed off. 

"One of his brothers, Number Six I believe," said Dave. "Number Two told me about it when I was paired with him on another clean-up operation. I guess they were pretty broken up about it. He may not have been their favorite but he was still their brother." 

"I hope he's at peace," Klaus murmured. Then he squeezed Dave's hand. "What about you? How are you here? You told me it was impossible."

"And it probably would have been," said Dave. "Except that I had a pretty great record with the Commission. So Herb asked R&D and Metaphysics to work up a way I could join you here, once my other self passed away."

"Yeah, he died a few months ago. I felt so bad when I heard the news," Klaus told him. "I visited him a few times. He didn't know who I was and we'd never met. As far as he was aware I was just a weird neighbor that helped him out with the shopping every now and then."

Dave smiled. "That's sweet of you."

"Sweet nothing I missed you. And… He wasn't you, but he was close enough," Klaus said. "One day I stopped by and his daughter? Which by the way you adopted three kids with your partner in this timeline. Anyway, she told me he was in a nursing home. He'd had a stroke and she couldn't take care of him full time. I volunteered but she thought that it was too weird a 'virtual stranger' wanted to take care of her dad. Then I saw the death announcement in the paper."

"What was that like?" Dave asked. 

"Sad. I went to the funeral. Even wore a suit and a tie, like a regular adult and everything. Five and Vanya came with me. It was a hard day, I thought I might fall off the wagon again but I talked to Cherise the next day and everything was fine," Klaus said. 

"Who's Cherise?"

"Our therapist. Allison talked us all into going in for family therapy and it's been pretty great. Cherise also counsels all of us one on one for our different problems. She's made really great progress with Vanya. She's got control of her powers now and everything." 

"What about you?"

Klaus shrugged. "Still a piping hot mess, but not as bad now. She's helped me with a lot of stuff like my PTSD, the ghosts, and the years I was alone. Cherise knows all about the time travel and the Commission and stuff and I thought maybe we'd get in trouble for that but Five pointed out that technically the Commission doesn't exist here." 

"Well, technically they don't, but there is still a timeline monitoring agency," said Dave

"What do you mean?" Klaus asked.

"Herb thought it might be a good idea to branch out and have a different Commission for each timeline. He called it franchising," Dave explained. 

"Do you still work for the Commission then? Did you transfer?" 

"They helped with the transfer but no, give me a moment to explain."

"You got it, handsome."

Dave chuckled. "Part of the reason the timelines were separated in the first place is that the Commission couldn't handle having to do the same task over and over and over again across several instances of time. However, those timelines as well would also have to be monitored for any issues that might pop up. 

"There are timelines with people like Five who can travel to whenever they please at will. There are timelines where catastrophic events are either prevented or need to happen. In the end, it made more sense to give the materials and means to individual organizations so they can protect the timeline."

"That's amazing. And there's one here?"

"Yep. The Temps Aeternalis. They're a bit more hands-on and murderous than the Commission but they get the job done," said Dave.

"They're not going to come after you, are they?" Klaus asked, squeezing his hand.

"No, I've been cleared. I've got my pension and my retirement paperwork in order. They weren't thrilled at the idea of a cross-dimensional retirement, but since I got 'saving existence as we know it' on my resume they were willing to make an exception," Dave told him. 

"So they basically had to say yes."

"They didn't have to but they did. Besides, my five years were up about three years ago. I only stayed on as long as I did to help out. Plus it was hard to get that dimensional doorway thing working," Dave added.

"And that's how you got here?"

"Yes, it's sort of a portal and a wormhole wrapped into one. It creates a temporary doorway between the timelines. We've been using it so the different Commission offices can keep in contact."

Klaus sighed. "I just… I can't believe you're here."

"I wanted to ask you," said Dave. "You and the other Numbers, you're okay, aren't you?" 

"Yeah. Like I said we've been doing the family therapy thing. Everyone talks about their issues and Cherise mediates our arguments. Sometimes she says she feels more like a referee than a therapist but at least Luther and Diego don't keep bringing up the same issues," Klaus told him. 

"What have you been up to? I know it's been longer for me than you." 

"Uh uh, if you want the story of my life you have to get in bed with me."

"Klaus, I said no funny stuff." Dave frowned.

"Not for sex, stupid. I just… It hasn't all been easy and I'm probably going to cry so just lie down with me for awhile, okay?" 

Dave couldn't argue with that. 

Klaus got up and shut the door, locking it for good measure. He slipped out of the crop top but kept the shorts on. Dave assumed Klaus wasn't wearing underwear, which wouldn't have surprised him. Dave stripped down to his undershirt and boxers, and Klaus was grinning. 

"Always such a gentleman, and completely overdressed," Klaus teased.

"It's what makes me comfortable," Dave pointed out.

"I know, and it's adorable. C'mon, I think we can just barely fit."

It was a tight squeeze on the twin bed, but when Klaus was in his arms, a part of Dave he didn't know had been tensed, relaxed. "I missed you so much," said Dave.

"You too. God, especially after everyone got their happily ever afters. But at least they didn't abandon me this time so woohoo," Klaus told him.

Dave raised an eyebrow. "What happened?"

"Well, Allison and Ray are back together. I guess he did regret not going with her or something. It took him some time to get adjusted to the future but they're happy in their little love nest. Patrick still has primary custody of Claire but Allison gets her on weekends. He's even warming up to the idea of joint custody, especially now that she's got another bun in the oven."

"She's pregnant?"

"Yep, due in March. It's a boy." 

"That's so great for her."

"I know, she loves kids and she's learned how to be a better mom. Claire's excited she can't wait to be a big sister."

Dave chuckled. "That's sweet."

"And Ray's not the only time traveler. Well, kind of. Vanya found Sissy and Harlan. She's way, way older now. And Harlan still remembers Vanya. They're living in Iowa on a farm, reliving the old days. Sissy's in pretty damn good health too especially for someone who's almost fucking ninety."

"That is amazing."

"I know right? Oh and Diego's a fucking private eye." Klaus was grinning as he said it. 

"You're shitting me."

"He is! And he found that Lila chick, remember the one who had the mimicking power? She's as crazy as ever, she's kind of turned into the Catwoman to his Batman." 

"There's a thought."

"And Luther's seeing someone too. For a while, we thought maybe he made her up because he wouldn't introduce us. Turns out it was the furry chick he hooked up with at the rave, the one who punched his v-card. She's nice actually, her name's Sarah, she's a graphic designer."

"You're joking."

"I am three hundred percent serious. Then there's Five. He's actually starting to grow now. He says he's retired but he still does like a lot of math problems and stuff. Right now he's going to college to earn a degree since they won't just let him test out for it. His professors hate him because he's an arrogant pompous prick… And he's also usually right."

That had Dave cracking up. "That's fantastic. Has he relaxed at all?"

"It took him a while, but yeah, he has." 

Dave kissed Klaus's forehead. "And you? What have you been up to?" 

At this, Klaus blushed a little. "Mostly, I've just been in therapy. I actually did an in-patient stint for a while after we got back. It was too much to handle, you know? I caused an apocalypse and I lost you."

"Oh darling," Dave muttered. 

"Yeah. I mean don't worry about it. I'm good now but it was rough for a while. I gotta be honest I don't really do... Anything. The others all have like, work, and passion projects and stuff. I still don't know what I want to do with my life, or who I am outside of the drugs and the ghosts. Cherise says that's okay because I had a lot of emotional trauma I had to square away first before I could move on to bigger and better things." 

"She sounds like a smart person."

"Oh, she is. And the reason I'm still single is…" He trailed off.

"What?" 

"I've never really gotten over you. You're the love of my life," said Klaus. 

Dave kissed him. "Well, if you're not opposed to it, why don't we figure it out together?"

"You mean it?" 

"Yes. After all, I'm going to need to find something to do with my time now that I'm retired."

Klaus smiled. "I'd love to." 

* * *

  
"If you touch that cake I will not hesitate to skin you alive."

"It's my cake!" 

"No, it's your cake and Dave's cake and he's going to be really upset if you eat any of it before the wedding." 

Klaus sighed. Five had a point but he was such a killjoy. 

"Fiiiine," Klaus said dramatically. 

God, how did anyone talk him into this? Getting married was a sham that people perpetuated in order to get a tax break. Which was what he'd said when they went to get their marriage license last week. The county clerk had been a little surprised, but Dave had shrugged it off and said, "It was your idea." Which, yeah, it was. 

To be fair though, this wasn't the crazy big affair that Allison had when she'd married Patrick. Of course, he hadn't been invited to the wedding, but Klaus had seen the spread in People magazine. 

It wasn't really a wedding anyway. Dave hadn't been comfortable with the idea of doing a whole Jewish affair (even though Klaus had assured him it was fine and he'd even be willing to convert). So they were signing some documents and saying some words in front of a judge who was coming to the house. Klaus thought he might be the same judge who sentenced him to six months in jail when he was nineteen. It sure looked like him. 

Dave was currently getting dressed. He wasn't sure what kind of suit he'd gotten, but Klaus knew he had one. He'd briefly thought of renting a tuxedo himself, but he hated how he looked in men's formal wear so that idea had been out. And he wanted to make it himself. 

So he'd gone fabric shopping with Allison, Vanya, and Sissy. Klaus had been tempted to get a big old ball gown wedding dress, but his sisters had talked him out of it. 

"But I wanna be a princess," Klaus had pouted.

"You can still be a princess but it's hard to move in a dress like that," said Allison. "Remember 'A Christmas Duchess'?"

"Ugh, yes, that was like your weirdest movie role, I still can't believe you agreed to it," said Klaus.

"That dress I wore in the finale was the hardest thing I'd ever had to walk in. Believe me, they look pretty but they're more trouble than they're worth," Allison told him.

"Yeah, you don't want to trip and fall down the stairs," Vanya added.

In the end, Klaus had gone with an outfit that made people smile because it was "very him". He'd made a white sheer long-sleeved turtleneck, a light blue silk vest, a tea-length white tulle skirt, a crystal tiara (mostly silver wire and crystal he'd twisted together himself), and a lace belt that was actually the veil Sissy had worn when she'd been married. "You need something old, honey," she'd said.

"Wouldn't this be something borrowed too?" Klaus asked. 

She chuckled. "I don't need it back, Klaus." 

"Fuuuck where am I gonna get something borrowed?"

"You could always steal Dave's shoes," Diego said. 

Which he instantly regretted because that's exactly what Klaus did. He borrowed a pair of Dave's work boots. Thank God they wore the same size. 

Dave had only been back in his life for three months. But it was after the first month Klaus knew he didn't want to be without him for the rest of his life. Dave was the same sweetheart he'd always been. And Klaus would be damned if he lost him again.

One Sunday morning they'd woken up late, naked and worn out from the previous night's activities. Not just the sex stuff, but they'd also had board game nights with Klaus's family and played a needlessly competitive game of Twister. 

He'd never been so happy. So, Klaus had asked Dave what he thought of a commitment. 

"You asking me to marry you?" Dave smiled.

"Oh, yeah I guess I kind of am. If you're okay with that. I don't have a ring or anything though," Klaus replied. 

Dave pretended to think, then said, "I might as well, you are pretty cute." 

"You're not so bad yourself, hot stuff."

And they'd made love, happy and giggling like a couple of teenagers. 

Sometimes, Klaus expected to wake up and find that everything had been a dream. That Dave was still locked in the alternate timeline, and that his siblings were still ignoring him and going about their own lives. But that wasn't how things were, and hadn't been for quite some time. 

Sure, Klaus still had a lot of mental health issues, which was why he saw Cherise three times a week. He couldn't hold down a job or "contribute to society" as Five said. He kind of didn't know what to do with himself, so mostly he read, or sewed, or knitted. He actually started making custom clothes for himself and his family. Though they wouldn't wear them often since they were "kind of out there" according to Diego.

When Dave was back in his life, he asked, "Why don't you sell these designs? I'm sure people would love them."

"Yeah, crazy people," Klaus said. He was drawing what would become his wedding outfit at the time.

"No, I mean it. There are folks out there who love your style. Remember that Instasnap person who did the video about your clothes?" Dave asked.

"She was a YouTuber, and yeah I remember," said Klaus. "Weird way to find out I've still got paparazzi on my ass even at my age." 

Dave chuckled. "I suppose so. But you said yourself you always thought you'd be a fashion designer, why not give it a try?"

"I'll think about it." 

Which really meant 'I'll do it but I'm putting up a struggle over it because I don't want to show how easily I'll do whatever you say, Dave'. 

And now it was their wedding day and Klaus was checking himself out in the mirror. "Do you think I should have gone with the top hat instead? Maybe the tiara is too much." 

"It looks fine," Allison said. "Want me to do your makeup?"

"I was going to but if you don't mind?"

She had him sit down and asked, "So full face or just the eyes?"

"Just the eyes, I'm so nervous I'm going to start sweating any time now then my whole face will slide off," he said and Allison laughed. 

"It'll be fine, relax."

She had him sit still while she did his makeup, and then she asked, "So are you guys staying at the Academy, or are you getting your own place? I know that Luther told me but I kind of spaced out. He and Sarah were being disgusting with the PDA."

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Klaus asked. "Between his pension and my monthly allowance, we found a really nice townhouse. We've got all the furniture and stuff moved in and when we get back from Thailand we're going to live there."

She smiled. "And I hear other congratulations are in order."

Klaus groaned. "He didn't tell you."

"Oh yes, he did. Seemed to think I had the right connections to make sure it's a success. And believe me, I would love the opportunity to help Haus of Klaus be as big as Alexander McQueen," she teased.

"Hey, that guy's clothes were stupendous, I'm not quite there yet."

Allison chuckled. "All done." 

Klaus looked in the mirror. Yep, perfect eyeliner, just like she always did. "Thanks, Allison."

"Anytime."

The door to the kitchen opened, and Ray appeared. "It's time." 

Klaus felt a bit ill but nodded. "Right, coming." He grabbed his bouquet of hydrangeas and adjusted his belt.

Five had already disappeared, so he and Allison linked arms and walked out. 

They'd forgone the whole dramatic entrance thing. And they'd decided where better to officiate than in the living room? Well, library slash dining room slash living room slash bar. Look, the room was huge okay, and used for a lot of stuff. The judge was standing in front of the fireplace, and… There was Dave.

He was wearing a dove-gray tuxedo, and his tie was the same light blue as Klaus's vest. He'd gotten his hair cut, and it was slicked back from his face. He had a small hydrangea bunch pinned to his lapel, which matched the bouquet that Klaus carried. 

"Hey," Dave said when Klaus joined him.

"Hey yourself. You clean up pretty good, mister," said Klaus.

"You too," said Dave and he winked.

Klaus then turned his head and looked at the guests, waving at a few. 

There were his siblings, of course, Mom, and Pogo. Ray, Claire, Lila, Sissy, Harlan, and Sarah too. But also Herb, Dot, Schneider, and Phuong from the Commission. They'd made a special trip out just for the occasion. Then Klaus turned back to the judge who was holding his really formal-looking book thing and he said, "We are gathered here today, to unite these two young men in marriage."

Klaus suddenly had a fit of the giggles, because he thought of the guy from The Princess Bride going "mawwage". Dave seemed to have the same thought and was fighting a smile. He elbowed Klaus and then muttered an apology to the judge. The judge scowled at them as though he could not believe their audacity.

He then gave a short speech about how marriage is a commitment, giving Klaus's outfit doubting looks the entire time he did. Excuse him if he thought one should dress nice for their wedding and have a little fun with it instead of pretending they were at a fucking funeral or something. 

Klaus had thought maybe they should write their own vows, but then after being unable to think of anything that would take less than four hours to read, they went with the judge's vows. Dave was more than okay with that. 

Finally, it seemed like Judge Windbag was winding down. "Is there anyone here who would object to these two being wed in holy matrimony?" 

They both turned to look, Klaus was surprised to see Diego was actually in tears. Which wow, he was gonna get so much shit about that latter from Five and Luther. But there were no objections so on the dog and pony show went. 

"If we may have the rings, please," said the judge. 

Five stepped forward and held up the box that held their rings. Dave had wanted something traditional, which Klaus was fine with. In the end, they'd picked simple gold bands with each of their names and serial numbers inscribed on the inside. 

"Do you, Dave Katz, take this… Person, to be your lawfully wedded spouse, as long as you shall live?" The judge asked. Apparently, the gender-neutral stuff wasn't coming naturally to him, but Klaus had insisted. 

"I do," said Dave, winking at Klaus as he put the ring on his finger. 

"And do you, Klaus Hargreeves, take this man, to be your lawfully wedded husband, as long as you both shall live?" 

"You betcha," Klaus said. He heard someone laugh, he was pretty sure it was Vanya. He slipped the ring onto Dave's finger, then kissed his hand for good measure. 

"Then by the power vested in me by the people of this City, I pronounce you both married," he said, then added, "Good luck."

"Thank you," Klaus said, shooting him a dazzling smile.

There were cheers from the guests, and as Dave wrapped his arms around Klaus to kiss him, there was a shower of flower petals. They kissed, and Klaus felt like his heart would burst from joy. Finally, things felt like they were where they should be. He wasn't just happy, he was content. An altogether unfamiliar emotion to him. 

"I love you," whispered Klaus against Dave's lips.

"I love you, too," Dave replied with a smile. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://talkingcinemalight.tumblr.com/)


End file.
